COVID-19

Guidance for doctors on the impact of coronavirus on your work, training, education, and wellbeing as a medical professional. 

What the BMA is doing

COVID-19: BMA priorities

Our four main priorities across the UK are PPE provision, testing for health workers, BAME doctors and terms and conditions (including death in service).

COVID-19: BMA in the news

Read a recent selection of our most current media coverage in response to the BMA's work protecting doctors during the COVID-19 crisis.

COVID-19: analysing the impact of coronavirus on doctors

We are surveying our members to understand what doctors are experiencing so we can play this back to the Government. We highlight key findings from BMA surveys and access to results.

PPE

COVID-19: PPE for doctors

Get clarification on PPE use in primary and secondary care, including procurement, use, safe working and CPR.

COVID-19: refusing to treat where PPE is inadequate

This guidance sets out the process for doctors to follow to identify whether your PPE is adequate and what you can do if it is not.

Your health

COVID-19: your life insurance

A joint statement from BMA and Association for British Insurers and guidance on reviewing your arrangements for life insurance and income protection during the pandemic.

COVID-19: risk assessment

All doctors should have a risk assessment, including those returning to the NHS and existing staff. We cover risk factors, tools to help you and what the process should be.

COVID-19: doctors isolating and those in vulnerable groups

Read our frequently asked questions for doctors who are isolating, have underlying health conditions or live with someone who is in a high risk group.

COVID-19: your wellbeing

This guidance aims to help doctors and medical students working under extraordinary and challenging circumstances to look after their own health and wellbeing.

COVID-19: the risk to BAME doctors

We look at the evidence for increased risk for black, Asian and minority ethnic doctors and provide advice about what workplace support to expect, suggest actions for employers, and explain what the BMA is doing.

COVID-19: life assurance scheme

We outline how the scheme works, who it's for, eligibility criteria, how to claim, and how it relates to existing death in service benefits.

Working beyond COVID

COVID-19: returning to clinical placements

We set out our approach to resuming clinical placements and provide guidelines on what you might want to consider if you are a student returning to a clinical placement following the pandemic. 

Adapting to COVID

COVID-19: death certification and cremation

This guidance replaces existing BMA guidance on verification and certification of death and cremation during the COVID-19 outbreak.

COVID-19: video consultations and homeworking

Advice for doctors in all settings in getting homeworking equipment, when to consult patients via video, approved NHS tools for remote consultations and tips for running them.

COVID-19: COVID centres in Northern Ireland

About COVID centres and how they operate, PPE, working in the centres and when is appropriate to use the centres.

COVID-19: working in private practice

Read our overview of how the pandemic is affecting private practice and access some resources to help you tackle any issues.

COVID-19: guidance for patients taking a holiday

Download and display our guidance poster to help your patients stay safe if they are travelling at home or abroad when tourism reopens.

COVID-19: travelling overseas and quarantine

Advice for doctors planning to travel to or from countries that are considered a COVID-19 risk. 

Your contract

COVID-19: your terms and conditions

We've compiled answers to some of the questions doctors have about the impact of COVID-19 on your contract terms and conditions, including annual leave, acting up, childcare, pay and extended hours.

COVID-19: model terms for GPs

A BMA practice/provider agreement – model terms of engagement for a GP providing temporary COVID-19 services.

COVID-19: civil medical practitioners taking on additional work

This guidance is a temporary policy which sets out the measures which have been put in place for CMPS (civil medical practitioners) to take on additional work, to support the NHS and defence medical services during the pandemic.

COVID-19: annual leave and study leave for junior doctors

An overview of taking annual leave or study leave during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how this applies to the four nations.

COVID-19: changes to working patterns

Guidance on changes to working patterns, SPA time and extra duties for consultants and SAS doctors, during the pandemic.

Ethics

COVID-19: ethical issues

Guidance for doctors on ethical issues that could arise when providing care and treatment during COVID-19, including resource, withdrawing treatment and maintaining essential services.

COVID-19: FAQs about ethics

Get the answers to the most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 and ethics, including withdrawing treatment, equality legislation, working outside your specialty and inadequate PPE.

Returning to the NHS or starting a new role

COVID-19: staff redeployment

Our guidance gives an overview of redeployment for employed doctors, including giving your consent, training, terms and conditions, raising concerns and your wellbeing.

COVID-19: retired doctors returning to work

This guidance is for retired doctors choosing to return to work and your pension, performers list regulations, indemnity, what work you can perform and technology.

COVID-19: medical students requested to work in the NHS

Guidance for medical students on medical schools and trusts/boards offering the opportunity to take on contracts of employment in the NHS due to COVID-19.

COVID-19: early provisional registration for final year students

What early registration means for eligible final year students requested to start work in the NHS early due to COVID-19.

COVID-19: medical students requested to work in Northern Ireland

Guidance for medical students in Northern Ireland offered contracts of employment in the NHS due to COVID-19, what it means for you and what you need to look out for in your contract.

GP practices

COVID-19: toolkit for GPs and GP practices

Comprehensive guidance for GPs, partners and practice managers to manage employment and contractual issues and service provision during the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19: general practice during the second wave

Read our proposal of the urgent measures needed to ensure general practice is protected and supported, as we move into the second wave of the pandemic. 

Rota changes

COVID-19: managing junior doctor rota changes in England

The BMA and NHS Employers have agreed the steps to take where it is impossible to implement the working hours restrictions and rest requirements in the TCS for junior doctors.

COVID-19: managing junior doctor rota changes in Scotland

Guidance on new rotas for junior doctors and annual leave, rest periods, pay, hours and working additional hours during coronavirus.

COVID-19: managing junior doctor rota changes in Wales

Guidance on new rotas for junior doctors and annual leave, rest periods, pay, hours and working additional hours during coronavirus.

COVID-19: managing junior doctor rota changes in Northern Ireland

Guidance on new rotas for junior doctors and annual leave, rest periods, pay, hours and working additional hours during coronavirus.

Immigration

COVID-19: guidance for international doctors

We offer guidance for IMGs and international students about your visa, GMC registration, exam cancellations and how to help during the pandemic.

BMA asks

COVID-19: easing the lockdown

Our principles and priorities for easing the lockdown.

COVID-19: supporting staff who are shielding to return to work

Our principles and priorities for supporting staff who are shielding to return to work.

COVID-19: childcare for doctors in England

Our briefing outlines the issues doctors in England face in finding childcare provision. Read our key asks.

Trust GPs to lead: learning from the response to COVID-19 within general practice in England

A set of principles addressing the need for change in general practice following the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

COVID-19: changes to specialty training recruitment

An overview of the changes to specialty recruitment, as a result of the response to COVID-19.

COVID-19: the role of private outsourcing

Our analysis of the scale and impact of private outsourcing during the response to the pandemic.

COVID-19: homelessness

Our position statement and priorities for addressing homelessness and protecting those who have been impacted as a direct result of COVID-19.

COVID-19: phase three of the response

The NHS in England has now officially entered phase three of its response to Covid-19. This briefing provides an overview of what this new phase means in practice.