NISASC (the Northern Ireland Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors Committee) is a standing committee of the BMA, representing all SAS doctors working in Northern Ireland. Its remit is to consider and act on matters affecting SAS doctors, including contractual matters.

Some of the external groups and bodies we liaise with on behalf of SAS doctors in Northern Ireland include the:

• General Medical Council
• DoH (Department of Health) 
• HSC NI trusts
• NIMDTA
• Political Parties

Our priorities

• Work with key stakeholders to ensure continued transition to the 2021 specialty doctor and specialist contracts
• Engage with key stakeholders to continue implementation of the NISAS charter.
• Take forward issues relating to pay and terms and conditions of service
• Represent SAS doctors in Northern Ireland to ensure their voices are heard.

We also promote the policies of the UK SAS doctors committee:

Pay offer for SAS doctors in Northern Ireland

SAS doctors in Northern Ireland must be recognised properly for the work they do. Persistent pay erosion is contributing to early retirement, quiet quitting, reduced discretionary effort, and colleagues leaving the profession. Pay is a key factor in making Northern Ireland an attractive place to train, work and remain in practice. 

Read more about our campaign to fix pay for SAS doctors in Northern Ireland.

SAS charter

The Northern Ireland SAS charter sets out the responsibilities of SAS doctors and their employers, providing a commitment to support and enable SAS doctors to realise their potential to deliver the best patient care and contribute fully to health services. It was developed by NISASC in collaboration with the DoH (Department of Health) in Northern Ireland and the HSC Trusts to help advance the careers of those working in this grade. 

The charter recognises the pivotal role SAS doctors hold in the delivery of high-quality care and the significant contribution they make not only to patient care, but in leadership, education, research and governance. SAS doctors bring experiences and specialist care, possess individual and often highly specialised skills, and undertake broader roles through activities such as teaching and audit. 

We continue to work in partnership with Trusts and DoH NI to ensure that the charter is implemented throughout Trusts for the benefit of SAS doctors and patients.

If you have any questions in relation to the NI SAS charter, please email us.  

SAS career development

NISASC is committed to developing the role of SAS doctors as a valued and integral part of the medical workforce in Northern Ireland.

Since 2015 we have focused on the SAS Career Development Proposal to help improve opportunities for training and development, information sharing and educational networking.

With the appointment of SAS Leads in each Trust, an Associate Dean for SAS, the establishment of a robust infrastructure for SAS training and development under the umbrella of the NI Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA) and the continued transition from 2008 contract to the 2021 contracts for Specialists and Specialty Doctors, the recommendations contained within the SAS Development Proposal have come to fruition. 

We will continue to work with key stakeholders to ensure SAS doctors receive effective development, which will benefit patient safety and employers as well as the individual doctors. 

Our people

Chair: Dr Leanne Davison, Belfast Trust

Deputy co-chairs:
Dr Clodagh Corrigan, Southern Trust (SAS education, training and development and SAS charter implementation).
Dr Siobhan Quinn, Belfast Trust (SAS negotiations and terms and conditions).

Executive subcommittee

NISASC has an executive subcommittee which co-ordinates its strategic approach to policy issues, acts as a core negotiating body for the SASC in Northern Ireland and is another link between NISASC and the Northern Ireland LNC forum. It also considers and, where appropriate, acts upon urgent matters referred to it between meetings of the NISASC.

Our meetings

We hold four meetings a year to discuss the latest issues affecting SAS doctors in Northern Ireland. Only committee members may participate in votes on NISASC business, but SAS doctors who are BMA members are welcome to attend in a non-voting capacity as part of the BMA committee visitor scheme.

Meeting dates for the 2025/26 session:

• Wednesday. 16 September 2026 - Hybrid (Venue TBC)
• Tuesday, 15 December 2026 - Virtual
• Wednesday, 03 March 2027 - Hybrid (Venue TBC)
• Thursday, 10 June 2027 - Virtual

All meetings will commence at 2pm.

For more information email us or call 028 9026 9658.

How to join

There are many advantages to becoming involved in our committees. You can actively influence BMA policy-making and negotiations, represent your colleagues' voices and develop your leadership skills. 

Each committee has a few routes to becoming an elected member. In the case of NISASC, this is: 

The election section below is kept up to date with details about any running elections, so make sure you keep checking it throughout the year.

Elections

BMA Northern Ireland Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors’ Committee (NISASC) elections 2026-29

Nominations are now being sought for the election of 12 voting members of the BMA Northern Ireland Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors’ Committee. Members will be elected to serve for three years for the sessions 2026-2029.

• NISASC represents Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors employed in HSC hospitals in Northern Ireland. 
• NISASC considers and acts on a range of issues that have a direct impact on Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors particularly those relating to pay, working conditions, etc
• NISASC makes representations to the NI Assembly, Local HSC Trusts, and the Department of Health in NI.
• NISASC contributes to the work of the UK Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors Committee, ensuring that the views of Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors in NI are represented.
• NISASC also works in co-operation with NI Council and other committees that represent various branches of practice of the medical profession in NI.

How to make a nomination

Nominations can be made from Wednesday 1 July 2026 on the BMA's online elections website.

Please make sure we have the right details for you.  

Eligibility

In order to nominate, you must meet the following criteria:

• Must be a BMA member
• Must be a member of the electorate of NI
• Must be able to communicate with and gather the views of her/his constituency when necessary 
• Members should nominate themselves as a representative for the Trust they will be working in.

Role of NISASC members

To represent the views of Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors in your place of work at a NI level by being an active member of NISASC. You will be the first point of contact between the committee and your colleagues and will have an important role ensuring that excellent communication is maintained between the two.

You will be expected to:

• Seek Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors views on issues that affect them so that the NISASC is fully representative of the Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors body
• Report issues of concern, brought to your attention by fellow Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors to the NISASC
• Within existing structures, identify and act on local issues on behalf of Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors
• Report back to fellow Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors on the work being undertaken by the NISASC
• Work with fellow committee members to achieve the objectives identified in the NISASC’s yearly work plan
• Where appropriate, work with BMA members of Specialists to organise and publicise local activities

Election schedule

The schedule for election is expected to be as follows.

• From 10am on Wednesday 1 July to 12 noon on Friday 17 July nominations are open online (in advance of the election period).
• Once nominations are closed, all nominations are reviewed for eligibility before the voting stage begins.
• All Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctor members will be emailed notifying them of the opening of online voting.
• Voting will run from 2pm Friday 17 July to 12 noon Monday 27 July.
• As soon as possible after the results have been calculated, the Northern Ireland Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors Committee secretariat will contact all candidates to let them know the outcome of the elections.
• Election results are then posted on the BMA website.

Term limits

Members will be limited to no more than 12 years on the committee, unless they hold a chair or deputy chair position. Members may seek re-election to the committee after two years.
 
For those who hold a chair or deputy chair position (or are elected to one) and meet the 12 year period within their term, they will be permitted to continue their term as chair / deputy chair, plus one additional year during which they may re-stand for election as chair / deputy chair subject to the maximum aggregate number of years as chair / deputy chair outlined in committee standing orders,

Implementation of term limits will be staggered for all members as follows up to the 2027-28 session:

The first meeting of the NI Specialists, Associate Specialists and Specialty Doctors Committee 2023-24 will take place on Thursday 17 September 2026 at 2pm venue TBC.

Get in touch

If you are interested in finding out more about the work of the NISASC or want to tell us what our priorities should be, email us.