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A real terms pay cut and poor working conditions – why junior docs are angry and deserve better

25 Jul 2022July 25, 2022

I’m angry. I’m frustrated. I’m fed up. And I know a lot of you are too. Changeover is less than 10 days away, and some of you don’t have your…

ARM 2022 – Reflections from Scotland

I should start this blog by saying that I wasn’t physically at the ARM. An on-call weekend and absent colleagues meant that I had to stay in Edinburgh, dipping in…

No-one should be harassed for exercising their right to seek the healthcare they want or need

1 Jul 2022July 1, 2022

At the BMA’s Annual Representative Meeting in June, Marina Politis, a medical student, proposed the following emergency motion on the overturning of Roe Vs Wade in the US. The motion…

Ludicrously complex tax setup sees doctors “unjustly” Hit with massive tax bills

27 Jun 2022June 27, 2022

At the BMA's ARM Dr Alan Robertson - member of the BMA Pensions Committee and BMA Scotland's Consultant Committee spoke in favour of motion 16 - and for recycling of…

National Care Service Bill: Some positives for GPs

At the moment good news is not something that is in plentiful supply, particularly for those of us working in the NHS across both primary and secondary care, so when…

Less than six weeks till Aug Changeover: Top tips and what you need to know

24 Jun 2022June 24, 2022

It is now less than 6 weeks until August changeover. There’s no doubt that changeover is an incredibly stressful time for everyone – whether you’re rotating within a hospital, or…

We must make the NHS a better place to work for everyone – and root out racism and discrimination for good

15 Jun 2022June 15, 2022

At the BMA we focus on and talk a great deal about making the NHS a better place to work for all of its staff. As Chair of BMA Scotland’s…

General practice – and the whole NHS – is struggling badly

9 Jun 2022June 9, 2022

Across healthcare services we are not in a good place just now. To be honest it is only the increasing cost of living crisis, ‘partygate’ and the Ukraine situation which…

Finally some good news: Agreement to restrict consecutive long shifts for juniors

2 Jun 2022June 2, 2022

I finally have some good news! And in amidst the longest, hardest winter the NHS has ever seen, and that seems to still not be over, that’s something that needs…

We need your help to reinforce the case for improving doctors’ pay: write to your msp

19 May 2022May 19, 2022

Just as I often say that the NHS is the people who work in it, it’s also true the BMA is its membership. Over the last four years it’s been…

Caring for patients is a doctor’s top priority: caring for doctors, and all other health and care staff, therefore must be a national priority.

13 May 2022May 13, 2022

The health service across Scotland is still very much feeling the impact of the pandemic – and we will be for some time as we attempt to catch up and…

Updated Student Finance Guide

4 May 2022May 4, 2022

It’s been a tough couple of years for medical students, many of whom have had their studies impacted by Covid, adapting their learning and training during the pandemic while stepping…