Consultant and SAS doctors vote for industrial action in BMA ballot
Today (4 September 2025), the British Medical Association (BMA) has announced the results of the indicative ballot for industrial action following calls for negotiations over pay.
Consultants and SAS (specialty, associated specialist and specialist) doctors in England have voted in favour of industrial action.
Of those who took part in the ballot, 67 per cent of consultants and 82 per cent of SAS doctors voted in favour.
This strong majority gives the BMA confidence to either put pressure on the government to enter negotiations or, if negotiations fail, to move ahead with a statutory ballot for industrial action.
As an indicative ballot is a non-binding vote used to gauge trade union members' willingness to take industrial action; the BMA is now considering next steps which could be to announce a formal legally required statutory ballot which it's members will need to vote on before a call for industrial action can be made.
