The BMA’s UK resident doctors committee (UKRDC) has today elected Dr Callum Parr as its new chair.

Dr Parr is a resident doctor based in London, working as an internal medicine trainee.

He said:

"It is an honour to have been elected chair of UKRDC. I am under no illusions about the responsibility of this position and I'm determined to stand up for the tens of thousands of doctors I now represent in a way that will deliver more progress and wins for them.

“There is a huge amount to do. Pressure is piling on the profession from every direction: eroded pay, understaffed rotas, substitution of our expertise by an NHS management looking to cut corners, training bottlenecks and job insecurity are making the career we have chosen feel ever more precarious.

"But this pressure is not inevitable: it is the result of decisions made by policymakers, and by applying our own pressure in turn we can fight back and fix the problems that face us. We’ve done that before and we can do it again. That's why I ran for this position and that's what I intend to do.

"We have made progress in recent years and I thank my predecessors for their work, but I now pick up the baton with a focus on implementing the 2026 deal in full and preparing for the DDRB’s pay recommendation in April. We have already put the DDRB on notice, and if we don’t make sufficient progress on restoring our pay, a dispute will be unavoidable.

“I am going to lead a committee that listens to its members, builds on our current strength and organises so that we are never taken for granted. Being a doctor is a privilege, and I'm determined that we will restore the value of our profession."

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.