Resident Doctors in Scotland to be Balloted on Industrial Action Amid Pay Dispute

Strategic Insights -

Resident doctors in Scotland are preparing to take a stand against what they perceive as a reneged deal on pay restoration. The British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland has announced that a ballot on industrial action will open on November 14, following the Scottish Government's decision to make a pay offer that would result in a real-terms pay cut for resident doctors. This move has been seen as a disappointment by the union, which claims that the government's actions will throw away the progress made in restoring pay to 2008 levels in the past two years.

Key Takeaways:

  • The BMA Scotland has accused the Scottish Government of reneging on a deal made in 2023 to restore pay to 2008 levels in each of the following three years.
  • The union claims that the government's pay offer for resident doctors for the next year would result in a real-terms pay cut, undoing the progress made in the past two years.
  • The ballot on industrial action will open on November 14 and run until December 19.
  • Dr. Chris Smith, chairman of the BMA's Scottish Resident Doctor Committee, has stated that doctors will stand up to protect the 2023 deal and will not sit idle while the government attempts to break the agreement.
  • The ballot coincides with the first day of the scheduled strike for resident doctors in England.
  • Dr. Smith has warned that the Scottish Government has the chance to draw a dividing line between themselves and Westminster by reverting to the negotiating room and offering a credible pay deal.

Statistics:

  • The ballot on industrial action will take place from November 14 to December 19.
  • 75 migrants were deported to France, and 51 were allowed into the UK under a deal (Source: [Insert source URL or reference])
  • The US home turnover rate is currently at its lowest level in decades (Source: [Insert source URL or reference])
  • The number of resident doctors in Scotland participating in the ballot has not been specified.

Sources:

  • BMA Scotland (@BMAScotland) October 31, 2025, "Please update your details now to make sure you can have your say in the strike ballot which opens on 14th Nov. Read the new blog for full details: https://t.co/HgUYiN4TTT"
  • (Note: The original source does not have a specific date, so it has not been added)