The BDA is a UK wide organisation that has to date been inclusive of all four nations in our work. There has been some success in this and now is the time to develop our approach further.
We have representation of each nation on the BDA Board and the Professional, EDI, Honours and Selection Committees.
We have branches in all four nations, with Scotland and North Wales thriving and Northern Ireland re-launched. Specialist groups are encouraged to recruit national representation in their committees and make their resources and projects applicable across all four nations.
We currently operate trade union employment relations committees in all four nations. The Scotland and Northern Ireland committees are well established with Wales having re-launched two years ago and England in September 2023.
We are active participants in all collective bargaining structures across the UK as part of the respective national staff side groups. Each nation is represented on the TU National Executive Committee with a dedicated seat which provides for democratic accountability and intelligence through regular reporting.
We have a small office team of national employment relations officers to provide high level individual representation and lead and co-ordinate collective bargaining and negotiations across the UK. We have been successful in our participation in pay negotiations in Scotland, Wales and England.
Currently, our BDA Education and Professional Practice projects all have input from four nations. We have a link and representation into three out of four National Strategic Education and Workforce Development Forums.
All Higher Education Institutions across the UK that deliver Dietetic pre-registration programmes are represented on the BDA Higher Education Institution Committee.
Our biennial Education and Workforce Event is headlined with strategic level presentations from each country and our Research Symposium encourages submissions from across the four nations, by promoting attendance grants from our BDA General Education Trust and fostering strong relationships with Higher Education Institutions across the four nations.
We also support the Allied Health Professions Forums in Scotland and Northern Ireland and engage with the Policy Officer’s Group in Wales.
We have connected with the Dietetic Service Manager Groups in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
We provide a presence at national events such as the various NHS confederation and political conferences and events.
We are improving our political presence and influence through participation in All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) in Westminster and relevant committees in Scotland and Wales.
We produce expert briefings on country specific issues for boards and branches to use in influencing work and policy development, for example, SafeFood in Northern Ireland.
Much of our campaigning is tailored appropriately to the requirements of each nation, for example, our independent prescribing campaign.
It is important that all of the work mentioned above continues. In addition, this strategy presents an updated approach which will see the BDA deliver more specifically and individually for each nation as well as inclusively of all four nations.
This will require us to engage more proactively with members, increasing our voice and be more visible, producing more country-specific resources and having greater engagement in the political and policy environment, in each nation.
By 2034 BDA members will have:
- Additional growth in membership in each of the four nations of 40% or more.
- Significant progress in engaging with members to achieve the aims of the five public affairs campaigns in each nation.
- A stronger voice in each of the collective bargaining structures.
- Full coverage of dedicated reps along with dedicated employment relations support to ensure maximum cover in each employer and full participation in national structures and campaigns.
- Improved democratic accountability between each country Employment Relations Committee and TUNEC with good communications and dedicated campaign plans.
- Our aim is to achieve parity of pay, terms and conditions across the four nations.
- An apprenticeship programme at all levels from the support workforce to consultant level, available in each country.
- A set of case studies illustrating the scope of advanced practice roles within each country.
- At least one engagement event annually in each country to share progress on BDA education, practice, workforce and research projects, and input from our members.
- Representation on every specialist group committee from each of the four nations and active local branches.
By 2027 the BDA will deliver:
- Policy support for each nation, engaging with the country boards on priorities and to support political relationship development.
- Specific case studies that celebrate and promote excellence within each nation.
- Country specific, targeted communications following a review of what is currently working well.
- Progress towards 80% of workplaces being covered by dedicated BDA Trade Union reps, with dedicated employment relations support.
- A renewed joint membership agreement with the University College Union to ensure employees in Higher Education Institutions are included in matters relating to pay, terms and conditions and equity, diversity and inclusion across the UK institutions.
- Continued lobbying for access to apprenticeship schemes at all levels from support work to consultant level practice - including pre-registration.
- Careers resources which include case studies and examples from each country.
- An event in each country to share outputs and assets from HEE funded projects, and gain insight from members into how these can be tailored to suit the workforce agenda for each country.
- A network of key external stakeholders, politicians and policy makers in each nation.
- Support for thriving branches in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England.