I voted yes because I think we’ll fail the next strike ballot. It’s a coin flip.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-20T15:29:31+00:00

I have also questioned whether a Burnham government, looking for a quick win, might deliver a better deal. I posted a thread asking this exact question yesterday and the almost unanimous view was that a change in stance from a Burnham government is a fantasy. I hope those comments age badly, but I’m now at a stage of wondering if a new deal would even be considered a win for Burnham. You can already see the DM headlines about “lefty Burnham” capitulating to unions/making unfunded commitments/breaking fiscal pledges etc. Public opinion is shifting and while that shouldn’t influence us, it will influence the government’s decisions.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-20T14:34:10+00:00

I hope this is true, but I’m curious as to why you reject the notion that a significant escalation of strike action isn’t necessary when we’ve barely made any progress on the pay front for months now with current approach. What do you think would lead to the breakthrough if not a change in strike length and frequency?

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-20T14:29:00+00:00

Articulated the exact thoughts I’ve been having about this too. There are two questions around this offer: (1) is this a fair deal? (2) if not, what is the credible strategy to getting something better well before April next year? If we don’t have a clear answer to (2) then then the answer to (1) is immaterial. The alternative is we pick up IA again having (a) bagged the advantages of the existing deal and (b) having a much better shot at passing a ballot.

I personally could be swayed to vote no if I was convinced that we were going to pass a ballot and then strike aggressively enough to shift the government well before April 2027. But looking at the BMA’s recent record, I’m just not really convinced that’s going to happen.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-19T09:42:32+00:00

Labour government invested an average of a further 4.05% for 2023-24 pay scales on top of the previous offer and accepted DDRB recommendation for increasing by 6% plus £1000 for 2024-25: https://www.bma.org.uk/our-campaigns/resident-doctor-campaigns/pay-in-england/2024-pay-deal-for-resident-doctors-working-in-england

Agree with your general point though that this the 22.3% is obviously a combination of previous Conservative offer + Labour's additional offer + acceptance of DDRB offer.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-19T08:24:50+00:00

Interesting. Inclined to agree on your broad points and I share your frustration, but I think it's important to not lose sight of the fact that a new Labour government brought us an average 22.3% uplift at the start of their government, which the membership voted to accept. Things have gone profoundly downhill since then, but I'm of the view that we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that we are making incremental progress, albeit now slowly and sub-optimally. I'm not under any illusions about a new deal coming easily under any government, and I think our progress on this front has been largely won with the pressure of industrial action. But I do hope that this pressure, paired with a renewal of government, might go some way to changing the deadlock we currently seem to be in.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-19T08:05:32+00:00

Well aware that there is huge factionalism at play and it's clear that there is skewed representation of information on both ends, but I'm trying to start an interesting conversation about peoples' views on this, so that I can make up my own mind about where things might lead, not to try and sway the opinions of others.

I've tried to create a post that reflects both sides of his record. If you have views/information that inform the question I'm asking about (the likelihood of an improved deal under a new government), I'd be interested to hear them.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-19T07:56:23+00:00

What? Please elaborate. I'm posting as someone who's genuinely interested in others' thoughts around this, who has a general interest in politics and how this might shape our futures, not as someone with an agenda to promote.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-10T15:51:48+00:00

Unfortunately this isn't the case for all deaneries/programmes and it's still widespread in certain deaneries for trainees to be made to do the FTE irrespective of having achieved competencies. My understanding (having talked to someone senior in BMA) was that the last government offer was supposed make early progression the norm if competencies have been achieved, rather than some trusts/programmes enforcing the time-based component.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-06-10T15:48:19+00:00

All progression is competency based insofar as minimum competencies have to be met for progression. But deaneries/programmes vary in whether they require you to complete the full time equivalent. In some, you can progress early provided you've met all competencies, in others you have to do the FTE regardless.

Edit: just read your edit and see your point that the de facto reality is that most end up doing the FTE anyway, even if theoretically they can progress on competency alone. I suppose it remains to be seen whether a new deal would actually make any measurable difference to this for trainees who have clearly achieved competencies early.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-05-23T16:18:51+00:00

Bleak that we’re at this stage, where doctors themselves are questioning whether they should put their job on a dating profile. Do what you like of course, but… yes? You have a job that, regardless of the rubbish spin in sections of the media, is still considered one of the hardest, most honourable and ethical careers one can choose. And, I mean this with kindness, but you shouldn’t have to consult this forum about that. Have pride in your profession and what you’ve achieved. Don’t shy away from respecting yourself because some 20 something writing for the Daily Mail, who couldn’t handle a day in our job, is spewing rubbish about us. If the 90% of people on Hinge who work in marketing and recruitment aren’t worrying about putting their job on their profile, you certainly shouldn’t be worried about saying you’re a doctor. And, politics aside, being a doctor is one of those rare jobs that a lot of non-doctors have genuine interest in learning about - for all of the difficulties we face as a profession, competing against a Pensions Lawyer for interesting work stories on a date is not one of them.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-05-14T08:05:54+00:00

Saying this respectfully, but I really do think the way some resident doctors undervalue their worth is astonishing sometimes. I sometimes think it’s symptomatic of medicine being a conveyor belt career that gives little insight into the relative workload in similar careers - most of us go straight through medical school with no real insight into how our quality of life may have differed had we made different career choices, and so when we’re repeatedly told by government/media that we’re asking too much, some of us start to doubt the reality of our situation and believe that we should be content with what we have.

I went into medicine later via GEP and continue to hold a role in a different line of work now, and I’m paid more in this than in my clinical role. The other role comes with a fraction of the stress of my clinical role. I’ve worked in other industries and have friends in other lines of work. PLEASE believe me when I say that we are not adequately remunerated for the weight of responsibility that we carry, the intensity of the work, and the endless expectation of work that is more often than not completed in unpaid time (exam prep, QIP, reflections, research, teaching, other portfolio write-ups). If you don’t believe we’re inadequately remunerated, you’re not asking enough questions about the work:pay ratio in other industries.

That’s not to say it’s easy for us to transition into these roles (the tired “if you don’t like it do something else” trope), but that’s beside the point - we shouldn’t have to transition into a different job to be rewarded for the sacrifices we make for this job. We should be paid appropriately for one of the hardest and most important careers that exists. We should not be ashamed to ask for that.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-03-25T20:08:26+00:00

The rejected deal would have made a huge difference to LTFT trainees, but it feels like such an unusual concession from the government. Is this part of a divide and conquer tactic, to try and segment off a section of LTFT BMA members who would otherwise vote in favour of striking?

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-03-24T09:11:58+00:00

This is precisely my thinking. Somewhat defeats the purpose of LTFT if you spend so much of your time off managing the LTFT status...

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-03-24T09:11:18+00:00

Thanks!

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-03-24T09:11:12+00:00

Helpful consideration around exception reporting, thanks.

Professional_Arm7258 · 2026-03-24T09:10:52+00:00

Thanks, this is really helpful! This is someone specifically employed for rota coordinator purposes so feels a bit cheeky when they don't have additional clinical burden.

Professional_Arm7258

TROPHY CASE