Hospital doctors in Northern Ireland are to be balloted on industrial action, the BMA has announced. The ballot will open on 11 May for four weeks.
The ballot announcement follows the Doctors and Dentists Pay Review Body recommending a 3.5% pay uplift for 2026/27 that doctors leaders have already rejected as unacceptable.
At a recent meeting with the health minister, BMA committee chairs outlined their concerns around the continued erosion of their pay and the impact this has on recruitment and retention. The minister was unable to commit to improving the offer or even ensure it was paid in a timely way. BMA has therefore decided to ballot members on industrial action over pay.
The members being balloted include consultants, specialist, associate specialist, and specialty (SAS) doctors and resident doctors. The ballots will be conducted simultaneously. Should the ballots be successful, the Government risks having all doctors working in secondary care in Northern Ireland taking industrial action during the same period.
Commenting on the decision to ballot for strike action, Dr David Farren, chair of the Northern Ireland consultants committee, said: “We had hoped this year’s DDRB recommendation would be higher, sending a clear message that the work we do is valued and respected.
“The pressures on our members are growing day by day, but this uplift does not reflect the increasing complexity and challenge of the work. There is a real risk we will lose more consultants through early retirement, reduced hours, or by leaving for better pay and a more functional health system elsewhere.
“We will now ballot consultants with a view to taking industrial action. Unless urgent action is taken to fix our pay, we will continue to lose doctors from our health service and the system will not be able to care for patients.”
Dr Leanne Davison, NISAS committee chair said, “SAS doctors are an essential part of the hospital workforce, providing stability, experience and continuity of care, yet our contribution is consistently undervalued. Like our colleagues, we have seen our pay steadily eroded, making recruitment and retention increasingly difficult.
“We have been left with no confidence that these issues will be addressed through the usual channels. Balloting for industrial action is about standing up for fairness and for the future of the health service in Northern Ireland. Without urgent action on pay, the system risks losing more skilled doctors it simply cannot afford to lose.”
Dr Steven Montgomery, NIRDC chair added, “Resident doctors are already feeling the consequences of years of pay erosion, with many struggling to stay in Northern Ireland or even in medicine at all. We are working long hours under intense pressure, yet our pay continues to fall behind while the cost of living rises. The recommended uplift does nothing to reverse that damage.
“We want to build our careers and futures here, but that will only be possible if our work is properly valued. Industrial action is not something resident doctors take lightly, but without meaningful action to restore our pay, the situation will only worsen for both doctors and patients.”
The ballot for consultant, SAS and resident members will open on Monday 11 May for four weeks, closing on Monday 8 June.
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Notes to editors
The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.