Our team of specialist employment advisers can help with any query or concern relating to your pay, your contract terms and conditions, or any other aspect of your working life.
BMA advisers have diverse backgrounds, and many are qualified lawyers or specialists in employment law. All advisers go through an extensive training programme before starting to work with members, and receive ongoing development to ensure their skills and knowledge of the NHS are up to date.
In 2022, our advisers and member relation staff:
- handled over 161,000 enquiries from members
- resolved more than 85% of all member cases within three months
- managed over 22,400 new junior doctor member cases
- - We have more than 240 dedicated advisory staff across the UK focused on supporting our members.
How we help
When you first contact us, we will discuss your query to find out the details. This generally includes getting a timeline of events to check any legal deadlines, understanding what you would wish as an outcome, and giving our view on the options available to you.
If you have emailed your query, we may need to call you to better understand the situation and how we can assist. We will establish the seriousness of the situation, and whether it needs to be referred to a local adviser or can be resolved on the call.
As with most membership organisations, there are some conditions to ensure you’re eligible for this service; the support we can offer may be limited if your issue predates your current membership. These terms are set out in MyBMA – please read them carefully.
The BMA is subject to strict rules about processing personal data, so please be careful not to include any third party data (for example, patient information) in your correspondence with us.
If you need to send us a redacted document for confidentiality reasons, please send this in a format that cannot be edited, such as a PDF or scanned copy. If you are unsure whether it is okay to send something to us, please ask your adviser first.
What happens next
We aim to resolve issues as early as possible. Often, during your first contact with us, your query can be answered and closed off immediately. If the situation develops after this, just get back in touch and we’ll reopen your case.
Some cases are more complex and require further advice. If so, your case will be referred to a nominated local or national adviser who has responsibility for, and local knowledge of, your employer. We’ll send you their contact details.
The adviser will review your case and contact you within 2 days of referral, for a full discussion on the next steps. If necessary – and only with your permission – the adviser may contact your employer on your behalf. If representation at a formal hearing is required, this will be arranged with you.
Legal support
Depending on the circumstances, your case may be referred to one of our appointed solicitors for a merits assessment. If your case meets the criteria, you will become a client of the solicitor and your case with the BMA will be closed. If not, you are welcome to seek alternative independent advice.
In the last 16 years, our appointed independent legal services providers have helped recover over £20.6M owed to members.
Contact us
- Email [email protected]
Email is the best way to contact us initially. Please include your contact details, BMA or GMC number and a brief description of your query. We will make an assessment of your query to ensure that you get the help you need. We always aim to contact you ASAP and we may do that via email or telephone. We prioritise support for the most urgent cases.
