Chris Smith

With @BMAResidents meeting Wes Streeting as justified English strikes loom, UK Government failures to make the journey towards FPR have been laid bare @BMAScotland RDC is in pay negs w/ @scotgov They must learn from Westminster mistakes to avoid action: bmascotland.home.blog/2025/07/17/how…

It’s not the BMA “undermining the trade union movement”. It’s a Labour Prime Minister, writing in the Murdoch press, urging junior doctors to break with their union leadership. That’s a direct attack on trade unionism. Solidarity with @TheBMA and junior doctors on strike.

Dear Wes Streeting… What really undermines our movement is a Labour government that turns its back on workers and lashes out at unions instead of listening to them. This is a defining moment. Stop attacking those who keep our public services running.

“Patients will be in no doubt who is to blame for this chaos” Isn’t that right @wesstreeting

This is why Resident doctors in England are taking a stand against the Government - it’s time to pay us what we're worth. Support us on the picket lines 📢 25 to 30 July #PayRestoration #DoctorsStrike bma.org.uk/residentspay

Sheffield South Yorkshire Green Area almost full 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 👊⁦@TheBMA⁩ ⁦@BMAResidents⁩

Labour voters are breaking ranks from this Labour government. This is a government that goes after pensioners, the disabled and now doctors. The Labour government has been dangerous and destructive to allow this strike to go ahead. Pay docs 22.67£/hr and strikes are off.

A fantastic turnout at the @GSTTnhs picket today. Doctors came out in strength and made sure they were heard all the way in Westminster by @wesstreeting. No dr wants to strike. But we’ve been forced into this position by a Government that refuses to value and retain NHS staff.

Don’t question the mandate of the BMA when your own constituents came within a whisker of removing you. To see a Labour minister asking resident doctors to break their own picket lines is shameful. I can assure you no postal worker will cross those hospital picket lines.

Reporting from the Resident Doctors’ picket line outside Guy’s this morning for The BMJ. Lots of energy and support from passersby.

No doctor today is worth less than they were 17 years ago. Watch @RossNieuwoudt correct some misconceptions around resident doctors pay in England 👇

Chair of @BMAWestMidsRDC @DrPeterFahey says the promised ‘journey’ towards #PayRestoration is happening at ‘a snail’s pace’. He supports a multi-year pay deal but says it would take 20 years to restore pay at the rate the government’s offer represents.

Today’s resident doctor strikes coincide with those by refuse workers in Birmingham, who are facing pay cuts of up to £8K. Some doctors went to support the refuse workers earlier in the morning, while refuse workers returned the favour outside the hospital. #Solidarity

Deputy chair of @TheBMA @ERunswickBMA says doctors need to see meaningful movement on pay, and that vague promises on non-pay improvements are ‘not enough’. “If @wesstreeting wants to cancel the strikes, he knows how to achieve that,” she says.

The BMA leadership is elected. There was a ballot where 90% voted yes. That’s democracy - the whole trying to split workers from their union is very Tory. There isn’t a doctors vs the BMA. Doctors are the BMA.

📣NEW BLOG: Resident doctors in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🗣️‘Our members are resolute and united' Read @ChrisSmith2211 on why the Scottish Gov must avoid repeating the mistakes of Westminster when it comes to resident doctor pay negotiations 👇 bmascotland.home.blog/2025/07/17/how…

📣NEW: Attention resident doctors We’ve published two new blogs today providing advice on important issues The first is on rotas in advance – read👇to find out about the work being done to improve rota design and issuance and how you can help 🧵 1/2 bmascotland.home.blog/2025/07/09/rot…

Sorry, where is the ‘total’ job security for resident doctors?

The foundation programme exemplifies the significant failings in UK postgraduate medical recruitment and the lack of accountability for the constant errors. Read more in mine and @Elgan_MR OpEd in the @bmj_latest. @BMAstudents @TheBMA bmj.com/content/390/bm…

It's worth remembering the previous government wasted over £3,000,000,000 on junior doctor strikes — more than double the cost of settling their whole claim. Looks like this government is set to make the same mistake.