Blogs > NHS Recruitment Process

Trade Unions for Doctors practicing in the UK

• May 30, 2022

Trade unions for doctors in the UK represent you both individually and collectively, negotiating your pay and rights, and supporting you at work. As an IMG entering into the NHS system, they can give you a support as you navigate the system and throughout your career whist you are practising in the UK.

What can a Trade union do for an IMG?

Until NHS trusts were established in 1991, all NHS-employed medical staff were subject to national terms and conditions of service. Now, however, most NHS employers can determine the pay and conditions of service for all their staff, except doctors in training who remain subject to nationally negotiated terms and conditions.

Trade unions are worth signing up to as they can be there to help protect you against being overworked and underpaid. They are able to review things like your contract and can take a look at your salary to make sure everything has been considered and calculated how it should be.

What trade unions are available to me?

There are two official trade unions for doctors in the UK: 

• The British Medical Association (BMA)
• Hospital Consultants & Specialists Association (HCSA)

Do I have to be a part of a Union in order to practice?

There is no legal requirement to be apart of a trade union. However, just like having personal indemnity cover it is strongly advised to be apart of a Union in order to protect yourself as an individual.

Relocating to the UK

If you are an international doctor who would like to relocate to the UK, email your CV to [email protected] and we can support you in securing an NHS post and on your journey to relocate to the UK.

Are you a member of our Facebook group? When you join IMG Advisor, you join a community of doctors all looking to relocate to the UK and join the NHS. We post a series of blogs and vlogs to the group each day. We will also be on hand to answer all of your relocation queries.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel! We have over 60 videos covering everything you need to know about relocating to the UK and joining the NHS.

Listen to BDI Resourcing on the go with IMG Advisor the Podcast! You can listen to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Buzzsprout. We have a number of episodes with tips and advice on relocating to the UK and the routes you can take to achieve this.