Areas of work

The BMA encompasses many different areas of work. Find out what the different departments do, and how your role fits in with the bigger picture.
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Caring Supportive Collaborative workshop

Corporate development

We love having debates in the office on topical issues.
Nina B.
Three members of BMA staff at an event wearing lanyards and smiling to camera

This team is responsible for association-wide activities that support our corporate culture.

These include a focus on:

  • reputation
  • corporate values
  • social responsibility
  • environmental responsibility
  • wellbeing support services for doctors
  • equality, diversity and inclusion
  • member development and inclusion.

 

Council secretariat

Being involved in work that betters doctors' working lives brings a tremendous amount of job satisfaction. Even more so when you are working in council secretariat, as you get to see first-hand the great work which is being undertaken by the BMA on a daily basis. At times we are super busy, however we find plenty of team spirit, laughter and cake on a Friday afternoon always helps!
Olivia O
Council Secretariat Working At BMA

This group is responsible for the coordinated administration of:

  • our two main policy-making bodies
  • the representative body
  • Council
  • the BMA board of directors
  • the Annual General Meeting.

 

Communications and policy

We get free tea, coffee and milk, have an annual staff picnic, a burgeoning cinema-going group, an LGBTQ+ book club, go for after-work monthly drinks (soft and alcoholic drinks) on the Friday after pay day, every Friday is a dress down day and we even play football a couple of times a month at lunchtime for anyone who is interested – all colleagues and abilities welcome!
Alex O
Back of a woman sat scrolling on her laptop which shows the BMA website

This department is responsible for ensuring the BMA maintains a strong, influential position in the eyes of stakeholders, the Government, media and doctors.

Teams include:

  • Press office
  • Digital content
  • News
  • Public affairs
  • Social media
  • Creative services
  • Strategic communications
  • Internal communications
  • Health policy
  • Science and public health policy
  • Workforce and innovation

 

National negotiations and representation

Members of staff at BMA house attending a meeting from behind. They are seated facing a presentation that is out of focus and some are raising their hands.

National negotiations and representation focuses on improving members’ working lives, pay and conditions by bringing together representatives to discuss issues of concern and comprises of the:

  • pay & contracts team: negotiates contracts at a national level, produces associated guidance and answers queries on related matters
  • branch of practice teams: works closely with committees which represent doctors and their views, and discuss their concerns and liaise with other parts of the association to address those concerns.

 

Professional policy activities

The professional policy activities function is the voice of the BMA as a professional association, and develop policy in areas that impact our members in their professional working lives, including:

  • equality, inclusion and workplace culture
  • ethical issues and human rights in healthcare
  • international workforce, global health and ethical trade
  • regulation of the profession and the organisations they work in, and
  • education and training of doctors.

The function also supports the BMA’s professional and specialist committees.

 

Finance and corporate services

Being part of the Finance department with responsibility for managing the procurement function across the BMA gives me the opportunity to partner with a wide range of departments to help them get the right deal for the services or goods they need. This regularly brings fresh challenges as we respond to the changing needs of the BMA and our members.
David S

This group works in partnership with all directorates across the BMA and BMJ.

They work with external specialist service providers to support the core business and meet organisational objectives.

 

Member relations

We’ve had a few challenges along the way, but I enjoy my role and working with my BMA colleagues.
Amanda S
Member Relations Working At BMA

Our member relations team provides ongoing individual employment advice and support to members.

They also provide support around negotiations, which includes:

  • liaising with member employers
  • representing members at meetings
  • supporting members through investigations.

 

BMA legal

The BMA offers me access to an unparalleled diversity of varied and high profile projects to work upon. Making a difference to doctors lives and the patients they serve both nationally and locally alongside committed colleagues - the BMA is the perfect place to develop ones career.
Gareth W, BMA legal
Detail of a woman in a bright yellow top writing in a document with a nice pen

This team is responsible for offering a broad range of advice to the BMA that includes:

  • commercial risks
  • political risks
  • statutory compliance with legislative requirements
  • conducting and managing litigation.

Technology services

We love helping all our departments with their IT issues and solutions both for BMA/BMJ, so that they in turn support all our BMA members. This both proves to be very challenging but also very rewarding for us all in tech services. We also have the highest number of Fantasy Football players in our department out of both the BMA and BMJ.
Mick M
Sound system in close up with mic, headphones and mixer

These teams are responsible for all technology systems across the association to maximise job effectiveness, both on- and off-site.

They also help the BMA to deliver a valuable service to members within the different regions and divisions, at conferences and during the annual general meeting.

 

Human resources

We love being challenged and learning from experience.
Tingting L

This team supports management and staff at all stages of their careers.

They provide in-house training to support performance and career growth.

They deliver processes and training to support effective people management.

 

Strategy and insight

We run an annual Great British Bake-Off competition in our department.
Sophie M
Post-it notes on a wall

This team supports the BMA in setting a future direction for the association.

They translate member insights into a valuable and relevant membership offering.

National offices

I am very proud of the way we try and represent the huge diversity of doctors across the UK.
Donald H, BMA Scotland
We have a lot to cover for such a small directorate, but we make it work thanks to good communication between teams and a good relationship with our members.
Grainne B, BMA Northern Ireland
Staff working at their desks in the BMA Wales office Staff at BMA Wales in Cardiff

Our members work in four distinct health systems across the UK, and our offices reflect this.

Teams in our national offices influence, negotiate, and provide support and services for doctors wherever they work.

These offices are located in:

  • Belfast
  • Cardiff
  • Edinburgh
  • London