BMA

Resident doctors on the picket line outside Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast as they take part in a 24-hour walkout over pay. Photo date: Monday June 29, 2026. (PA Photo)

Doctors take to picket lines - but minister says less than 25% voted to strike

Junior doctors on the picket line outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in west Belfast during a 48 hour strike in Northern Ireland over pay and staff retention in May 2024. Photo: Rebecca Black

Doctors strike to cancel routine and elective services

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) on the picket line outside John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford yesterday

Doctors’ strike costs ‘a few’ new hospitals

Doctors representatives need to tell the public just how far they were willing to stop and cut services to patients for there uplift

Tony Dorrian Workers Party Representative commenting on the News That the BMA ur...

A doctors' union says it would be 'destructive' to abandon the principle of pay parity.

BMA claims abandoning pay parity would be 'destructive'

The BMA's Northern Ireland chief has called for a 'debate' on having an all-island GP system (photo by STEPHANE OUZOUNOFF/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images)

Royal College of GPs stands by free care after BMA Northern Ireland chief's call

Dr Alan Stout has suggested a conversation needs to be had about an all-island GP model

Unionist parties rubbish BMA chief's all-Ireland GP services suggestion

The BMA has defended a disputed claim that GPs in Northern Ireland conduct 200,000 appointments per week.

BMA doubles down on 'misleading' 200,000 appointments claim

GPs in Richhill have become the latest to announce they are halting postoperative care for patients, sending them back to hospitals due to what they describe as “unsustainable” pressures. (Generic image).

More GPs send patients back to hospital - Department issues warning

The British Medical Association has defended Banbridge GPs after they stopped dressing complex wounds from major surgeries - and began referring them back to hospitals.

BMA defends GPs after they refer post-operative care back to hospitals

A general image of a doctor with a stethoscope; consultants in Northern Ireland are to be asked their views on a 4% pay hike (photo by Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty Images)

BMA begins dispute over 4% pay hike for consultant doctors in Northern Ireland

Diane Dodds says a "debunked" BMA claim about GP appointments "undermines the ability to highlight real issues impacting on GP surgeries". Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

BMA claim that 200,000 people see their GP each week 'debunked' - DUP MLA

Figures obtained by the News Letter show that the majority of contacts with GPs are carried out by telephone rather than face to face. Photo: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

Official figures contradict BMA's '200,000 GP appointments per week' claim

Doctors in Northern Ireland more at risk from burnout that other doctors in the Uk

Peter McGuire Workers Party Representative commenting on the survey carried out ...

GP partners in Northern Ireland have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking collective action in what they say is a bid for increased funding.

99% of GPs voted for 'unprecedented' industrial action

UUP health minister Mike Nesbitt speaking in the Assembly today

GPs in Northern Ireland 'could potentially curb patients they see': BMA figure
GPs in Northern Ireland look set to consider the "collective action" they can take over a dispute which has erupted with Department of Health.
Adam Kula

The NHS is only able to run an emergency service during the Red Wind warning today, a leading GP has said.

NHS only able to run emergency service during storm, says BMA

Not all doctors are comfortable with ‘assisted dying’. How do medics involved with deliberate lethal injection of the dying live with their consciences? asks James Hardy

Letter: ‘Assisted suicide’ is a much more appropriate phrase

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has welcomed the BMA NI Consultant Committee’s decision to recommend the Department’s proposed 2024/25 pay offer for consultants to its membership

BMA consultants in Northern Ireland invited to accept 5.26% pay uplift

Consultants in Northern Ireland have called off plans to take strike action. Photo: PA

Consultants in Northern Ireland call off plans to strike

Junior doctors pictured on strike outside Stormont in east Belfast on Thursday

Thousands of cancelled appointments as doctors' strike action kicks in

Consultant Dr Geffrey Todd says junior doctors on strike this week are putting the lives of patients at risk.

Striking doctors putting patient lives at risk, says respiratory consultant

Junior doctors on the picket line outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in west Belfast during a 48 hour strike in Northern Ireland over pay and staff retention. Picture date: Wednesday May 22, 2024. Photo: Rebecca Black/PA Wire

Doctors strike: Swann 'can't restore 2008 pay' to everyone

Junior doctors on the picket line outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast during a 48 hour strike in Northern Ireland over pay and staff retention

Striking junior doctors apologise but say they were left with no other option

Junior doctors at a picket line at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast back in March when they staged a 24-hour strike over pay. A fresh 48-hour walkout starts at 7am next Wednesday, with a second 48-hour strike scheduled for June 6-8. Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Junior doctors’ strike set to cause widespread disruption, department warns

Further strikes by junior doctors in Northern Ireland will have a very significant impact on health service delivery, Robin Swann has warned. Phot0: PA

Junior doctors’ strikes will ‘significantly impact’ services, says Swann

Junior doctors form a picket line at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast as they take part in a one-day strike over pay. Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

'Simply not viable': Economist rubbishes striking doctors' pay claim
Economist Esmond Birnie has said a “courageous” revamp of the NHS in the Province is required or else the Department of Health will keep on expanding until it absorbs “all public spending in Northern Ireland”.
Adam Kula

Junior doctors across Northern Ireland are to take part in their first ever industrial action over pay.

Junior doctors in Northern Ireland on 24-hour strike action over pay

Health minister Robin Swann said that disruption caused by a by junior doctors' strike will be 'significant'

Junior doctors’ strike ‘will lead to thousands of missed appointments’

A doctor checking a patient's blood pressure. Photo: PA/Wire

Junior doctors in Northern Ireland vote to take strike action

“Let me be absolutely clear, the crisis is not the fault of the hard working, committed GPs and it is not the fault of our LMC or other GP representatives,” Dr Stout said.

Health: General practice ‘in the most difficult position it has ever been in’

A doctor examines a patient; The decision by the Stormont Department of Health to cut GP funding by almost 7% in real terms is "astonishing", the BMA has said.

Departmental cut of 7% in GP funding ‘astonishing’ says BMA

Dr Alan Stout will address a BMA meeting in Liverpool on Tuesday

Top doctor Alan Stout: We need Stormont back as soon as possible

Emergency departments and cancer care services will be negatively impacted by the latest budget, the BMA has said. Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Expect even longer hospital waiting lists after 'piecemeal' budget: BMA

Nursing strikes 2023: Royal College of Nursing, the GMB & Unison back new pay offer - but it’s not over yet

Breaking Nursing strikes 2023: Unions back pay offer - but it’s not over yet

A general view of the Accident and Emergency department at Craigavon Area Hospital. Picture date: Tuesday November 15, 2022.

Patients dying due to NI hospital crisis, warns top doctor

File photo dated 27/01/21 of nurses working. Issue date: Thursday May 12, 2022.

NI health service in ‘worse state than ever’ ahead of nurses’ strike this winter

Handout photo issued by Press Eye of Health Minister Robin Swann during a press conference in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast.

Under pressure GP practices to get £5.5 million package

Members of health trade unions take part in a protest outside the RVH in Belfast, to demand a pay increase to help protect workers from the cost-of-living crisis.

Protests an ‘initial warning’ of possible strike action

Members of the Royal College of Nursing take part in a protest outside the Mater Hospital in Belfast, to demand a pay increase to help protect workers from the cost-of-living crisis. Picture date: Wednesday August 24, 2022.

NI health workers may return to picket line in dispute over pay, unions claim

Dr Tom Black of the BMA says hospital admission rates must be carefully monitored.

BMA: Rising Covid-inpatients must be monitored

Dr Alan Stout

My Healt: Dr Alan Stout

Dr Tom Black said easing restrictions too quickly could spark an increase in infections

Covid-19: BMA chief Dr Tom Black urges cautious return to normality

Dr Alan Stout, a GP and BMA leader in NI.

Leading GP urges ‘do NOT’ ask doctors for mask exemption letter

Dr Tom Black said NI hospitals are likely to come under most severe pressure at the end of January

'Double whammy' for NI health service at 'significant risk', warns top doctor

Both the BMA and RCN warned that making Covid jabs compulsory for NHS staff in NI could cause a serious loss of workers during winter pressures.
Photo: Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press

BMA: Sensible for all NHS staff in NI to take Covid-19 jabs

BMA NI chair Dr Tom Black spoke of ‘Covid fatigue’ at media coverage of pressure on the health service

We are sleepwalking into Covid crisis due to media fatigue: BMA

A leading GP has said he is ‘frightened’ by the number of patients being ‘put off’ going to emergency departments

Senior GP 'frightened' by number of 'horror stories' as patients avoid A&Es

The wearing of face masks is compulsory in all government-owned buildings except for a medical exemption

Appeal from BMA chiefs as more people ignoring face mask rules

File photo dated 15/06/16 of fraffic crossing the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the village of Bridgend, Co Donegal. For residents of the small Irish village, prime ministerial statements made in the distant Westminster Parliament are usually an irrelevant affair. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday March 29, 2017. But as Theresa May triggers Article 50, starting the process that will see Britain leave the EU, there are genuine fears on the impact this could have on the lives of those living in this North West border area which straddles Londonderry and Donegal. See PA story POLITICS Brexit Border. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Slower vaccine roll-out in RoI 'could slow easing of restrictions' in NI

Dr Black, chair of the BMA’s NI Committee, spoke to the News Letter after the number of Covid patients in hospital here dipped below the first wave peak

Northern Ireland should pursue ‘near elimination strategy’ to tackle virus, says...

News Letter editorial

Michael McBride’s warning of year-long Covid restrictions was ill-advised

PSNI officers patrol Belfast city centre during the Coronavirus pandemic restriction period.
PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON

Tough new lockdown message from Stormont as Covid advice ‘put into regulations’

Dr Michael McKenna administers a vaccination to 94 year old Eileen Lynch. (Photo: Kelvin Boyes/Presseye)

Eileen Lynch (94) becomes first in NI to receive Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine

Stormont's first minister Arlene Foster, health minister Robin Swann, and deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill. Yet it is the health bodies whoe seem to take decisions, not the political leaders whose responsibility it is

Politicians have subcontracted Covid decisions, which is a dereliction of duty

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