Resident doctors in Scotland are to vote on whether to take strike action on pay in a five-week ballot in the run up to Christmas, the BMA has announced.
If they vote yes, resident doctors could go on strike – for the first time in Scotland – early next year. The ballot opens on Friday 14 November – the first day of the next scheduled strike by resident doctors in England, who are calling for pay restoration south of the border.
In 2023, Scotland avoided the resident doctor strikes seen in all other UK countries because the Scottish Government pledged to make ‘credible progress’ towards pay restoration. But resident doctors in Scotland entered formal dispute with the Scottish Government three weeks ago, claiming ministers had reneged on this commitment.
Chris Smith (pictured above), chair of the BMA Scottish resident doctors committee, said: ‘Doctors have been shocked that the Scottish Government seems to be intent on throwing away the progress made in restoring our pay over the last two years and are clear they will stand up to protect the deal, which was agreed in good faith by both sides.
‘As always, we are ready to negotiate at any time and any place. But we will not sit idle while the Scottish Government attempts to break the deal that they struck with Scottish resident doctors in 2023.’
Good faith
He said the Scottish Government had the opportunity to draw a dividing line between them and Westminster. ‘All that requires is to revert to the status quo: return to the negotiating room with BMA Scotland, in good faith and with a credible pay offer in line with the promises they made in the deal we signed. Until now Scotland has been the only nation in the UK to avoid industrial action and there is time to avert this action – but only if the Scottish Government honours the commitment it made.’
Dr Smith said the BMA’s request to get back to the negotiating table with a serious offer had been ignored. ‘I’ve written to the cabinet secretary for health and social care again to inform him of the ballot dates, and hope that this time the Government will take the necessary steps to reverse their decisions which are putting the NHS Scotland on the path to disruptive strike action.’
Scottish health secretary Neil Gray said earlier this month he was disappointed resident doctors had chosen to be in dispute with the Scottish Government. He said he had made a ‘fair, affordable, equitable’ pay offer of 4.25 per cent for 2025-26, with a further 3.75 per cent for the next financial year.