Resident doctors in Scotland are set to go on strike for the first time in a national dispute over pay, marking a historic moment for NHS workers north of the border.
BMA Scotland has accused the Scottish government of failing to honour a commitment to restore doctors’ pay to 2008 levels. Following a ballot in which 92% voted in favour of industrial action, strike dates have been scheduled from 07:00 on Tuesday 13 January to 07:00 on Saturday 17 January 2026.
Despite the decisive vote, the union said it still believed a resolution could be reached and urged the Scottish government to return to negotiations and present a credible offer.
Resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, make up almost half of Scotland’s medical workforce. They range from newly qualified doctors to those with up to 10 years’ experience and play a critical role in the day-to-day running of NHS services.
Scotland has until now been the only part of the UK to avoid strike action by NHS staff. Of the 5,185 resident doctors eligible to vote, turnout was 58%, with 3,008 ballots cast.
A planned strike in the summer of 2023 was called off after a last-minute deal was reached. As part of that agreement, BMA Scotland said the government committed to making “credible progress” towards restoring pay to 2008 levels over the following three financial years.
In England, a series of strikes by resident doctors has already led to thousands of cancelled operations and procedures. An ongoing five-day walkout has caused further disruption and has been described as “dangerous and utterly irresponsible” by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Any strike action in Scotland would pose a serious challenge to the Scottish government’s pledge to cut waiting times for procedures and appointments by March 2026. It would also increase pressure on an already overstretched NHS during an election year.
Dr Chris Smith, chairman of the BMA resident doctors committee, said: “The result of this ballot shows that resident doctors in Scotland are united in anger over the Scottish government breaking the deal they agreed over pay just two years ago.
“This is not where we wanted to be. However, we have sent a message loud and clear – the government cannot brazenly renege on its commitments without expecting to be held to account.
“Instead of negotiating with resident doctors to make credible progress towards pay restoration, as they agreed to do, they have imposed a pay uplift that is the lowest average award received by resident doctors anywhere in the UK.”
Dr Smith said the 2023 agreement was the sole reason strike action had previously been avoided.
“It was working for doctors and the health service,” he said. “By turning their backs on this deal, the Scottish government is forcing a dispute and knowingly putting the NHS in Scotland at risk of disruptive strike action.”
He added that there was still time to prevent industrial action.
“BMA Scotland resident doctors remain committed to the deal when it is being upheld in its entirety,” he said.
“If we don’t take a stand now when the government have broken a commitment agreed to in good faith, they will take this as licence to do it again and again, including on issues such as contract negotiations and more training jobs for resident doctors as part of future medical workforce planning.
“This matters not just for doctors, but for patients and for the future of the entire NHS in Scotland, which relies on today’s resident doctors to stay here and become the GPs, specialist doctors and consultants of tomorrow.”
The Scottish government’s two-year pay offer includes a 4.25% increase in 2025/26 and 3.75% in 2026/27. The deal mirrors the offer accepted earlier this year by nurses, paramedics and other NHS staff.
However, BMA Scotland said the proposal would be the lowest in the UK and below the recommendation of the independent pay review body.
Under the current offer, basic pay for a newly qualified doctor would rise from £34,500 to £37,345 by 2026/27. For a doctor with 10 years’ experience, pay would increase from £71,549 to £77,387.
Resident doctors are frequently required to work night shifts, weekends and extended hours, for which additional payments are provided.
The Scottish government has been contacted for comment.
