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Representing staff and associate specialists

Doctors in the staff and associate specialist group work at the senior career-grade level in hospital and community specialties. The group comprises staff grades, associate specialists, specialty doctors, clinical assistants, hospital practitioners and other non-standard, non-training “trust” grades. SAS doctors work in key service roles within the NHS and their numbers expand with every year.

Staff and associate specialist grades provide a secure career. However, opportunities for career progression within these grades are very limited and, in order to progress to consultant level, SAS doctors (often highly skilled and experienced) must apply for National Training Numbers (NTNs) and SpR posts in open competition or, since the advent of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB), they can apply to the specialist register through article 14.

Established at the BMA's annual meeting in July 2002, the Staff and Associate Specialists Committee aims to address issues of poor pay, access to training and career progression and to promote SAS doctors’ contribution to the NHS.

Negotiations on a new contract for this group of doctors officially began in May 2005 and the new contracts were implemented on 1 April 2008.