Doctors’ planned industrial action over pay has elicited concerns from other trade unions representing National Health Service (NHS) staff, who say the British Medical Association’s (BMA) demands are complicating their own negotiations. The BMA is seeking a pay increase for doctors that exceeds the 3.5% offered by the government, arguing that doctors have experienced a real-terms pay reduction of more than one-fifth since 2008-09. Strikes by resident doctors are scheduled to begin on April 7 for six days.

However, more than a million other NHS employees, including nurses, physiotherapists, midwives, and ambulance workers, are set to receive a lower pay rise of 3.3% through the Agenda for Change terms. This disparity has caused frustration among unions representing these staff groups. Senior union figures, speaking anonymously, indicated that the BMA's stance makes it harder to present their own negotiated deals to members. One individual suggested that the government appears more inclined to engage with doctors' demands.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the BMA’s negotiation approach. Some union leaders attribute what they perceive as chaotic discussions to the involvement of resident doctors in leadership roles, rather than professional negotiators. They suggest this approach may hinder pragmatic decision-making and a broader perspective on pay and conditions that affect the entire healthcare workforce.

Separately, the GMB union is in a dispute with the BMA itself over the pay offered to the doctors' union's own staff. The BMA has offered its staff a 2.75% pay rise, which is lower than the 3.5% recommended for resident doctors. In response, BMA staff are also planning to strike, coinciding with the resident doctors’ industrial action on April 7.

A spokesperson for the BMA affirmed its commitment to advocating for doctors and medical students, emphasizing that the 3.5% offer does not address the substantial real-terms pay cuts experienced by doctors. The spokesperson defended the BMA's negotiating team, stating it comprises both elected resident doctor leaders and expert staff, combining on-the-ground insight with professional negotiation skills. The BMA also clarified that doctors are in a distinct position compared to its own staff, having faced more significant pay cuts and a deterioration in working conditions since 2008.

Adding to the broader context, an analysis by the union Unison revealed that pay satisfaction levels for NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts in England have not improved over the past three years and have declined in some areas. Conversely, medical and dental staff have reported an 18-percentage-point increase in pay satisfaction since 2023. Unison stated these findings highlight a widespread feeling of undervaluation among many NHS employees. Talks regarding the wider structure of pay for Agenda for Change staff are yet to commence.