Doctors based in Scotland are on strike for the first time

Doctors based in Scotland are set to strike over a pay dispute, the first time NHS workers have staged a national strike.

Their union, BMA Scotland, accused the government of reneging on its commitment to restore wages to 2008 levels.

With 92% voting in favour, the strike dates were set from 07:00 on Tuesday 13 January to 07:00 on Saturday 17 January 2026.

Health Minister Neil Gray said he was disappointed by the result, adding that he had offered to meet the head of BMA Scotland on Monday.

BMA Scotland previously said it still believed a solution could be found and called on the Scottish Government to return to the negotiating table and make a “credible offer”.

Resident doctors – formerly called junior doctors – make up nearly half of Scotland’s medical workforce.

They range from newly qualified doctors to those with up to 10 years’ experience.

Mr Gray said: “Doctors based in Scotland have been given a 4.25% pay rise this year – as part of a two-year deal – the same amount accepted by nurses and other NHS staff.

“This means that by 2027, we will have achieved a cumulative wage increase of 35% in four years.

“Our top priority for our patients and workforce is improving waiting times, access to the NHS and positive outcomes. Industrial action will jeopardize all this progress.”

Scotland was the only part of the UK to avoid a strike by NHS workers.

With 5,185 Scottish-based doctors eligible to vote, the turnout was 58% with a total of 3,008 votes.

Strike in summer 2023 It was canceled at the last minute After agreeing on the deal.

As part of this, BMA Scotland said the government was committed to making “credible progress” towards returning wages to 2008 levels in each of the next three financial years.

A series of strikes By doctors based in England Which led to the cancellation of thousands of operations and procedures.

The five-day strike is causing further disruption and has been described as a strike ‘Dangerous and completely irresponsible’ By Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Any strike in Scotland would be a major blow to the Scottish Government’s promise to end the long wait for procedures and appointments by March 2026 and would put further pressure on an overstretched NHS in an election year.

Dr Chris Smith, Chair of the BMA Resident Doctors Committee, said: “The result of this ballot shows that resident doctors in Scotland are united in anger at the Scottish Government breaching the deal they agreed on pay just two years ago.

“This was not where we wanted to be. However, we sent a message loud and clear – the government cannot brazenly renege on its commitments without expecting accountability.

“Instead of negotiating with resident doctors to make credible progress towards restoring pay, as they had agreed to do, they imposed a pay rise which is the lowest average bonus received by resident doctors anywhere in the UK.”

He said the agreement agreed by the Scottish Government in 2023 was the only reason to avoid strike action.

“He was working for doctors and the health service,” he said. “By turning its back on this deal, the Scottish Government is forcing conflict and deliberately putting NHS Scotland at risk of disruptive strike action.”

Dr Smith said there was still time to avoid strikes.

“BMA Scotland’s resident doctors remain committed to the deal when it is fully upheld,” he said.

“If we do not take a stand now when the government breaches a commitment agreed in good faith, it will take this as a license to do so again and again, including on issues such as contract negotiations and more training posts for resident doctors as part of future medical workforce planning.

“This matters not just for doctors, it matters for patients and for the future of the whole NHS in Scotland, which depends on today’s resident doctors to stay here and become tomorrow’s GPs, specialists and consultants.”

The two-year offer from the Scottish Government was for a 4.25% increase in 2025/26 and 3.75% in 26/27.

It is the same offer that nurses, paramedics and other NHS staff accepted earlier this year.

BMA Scotland said this rate would have been the lowest in the UK and was lower than recommended by the independent pay review body.

The current offer will be witnessed Basic wage For a newly qualified doctor it rises from £34,500 to £37,345 for 2026/27 and for a doctor with 10 years’ experience it rises from £71,549 to £77,387.

Doctors are often expected to work night shifts, weekends, or longer hours where they will receive additional pay.