Senior doctors in England are being balloted on whether they want to take strike action.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said it would ask NHS consultants and specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors if they were willing to take industrial action.

The ballots of both groups are running from Monday for eight weeks and will close on July 6. It follows ministers announcing a 3.5 per cent pay award. 

The BMA said its consultants’ committee believes senior doctors need to have more protected time to focus on innovation and teaching more junior colleagues. 

It wants to see a reduction in hours and ‘better recognition for the most demanding work’, the BMA said.

It also wants reform of how SAS doctors are recognised and compensated for their time, ‘particularly for extensive anti-social working hours’ and more annual leave so doctors do not lose out.

The ballot comes after resident doctors in England walked out in April with the BMA saying both groups have seen their pay fall in real terms since 2008/09.

The strike was the 15th walkout by resident doctors in England since 2023.

Senior doctors in England are being balloted on Monday on if they want to take strike action

BMA consultants’ committee co-chairmen Dr Shanu Datta and Dr Helen Neary said: ‘BMA consultants and SAS doctors are standing together and demanding better.’

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘We urge consultant and SAS doctors to see the BMA’s unreasonable and unnecessary bid for industrial action as the distraction it is from rebuilding our NHS.’