After two years of planning the change that members voted for in 2024 is here: HCSA is now the Hospital Doctors Union.
As our President Dr Claudia Paoloni states in her launch-day column, this is a case of evolution not revolution.
From our origins as the Regional Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, to the shift to the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, and then HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union, this is the same organisation that was forged out of the birth of the NHS in 1948. Supporting and advocating for you and the profession is in our DNA.
We’ve put together some key questions and answers for members and non-members to explain what the change today means.
Why has HCSA changed its name to the Hospital Doctors Union?
The name Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, shortened to HCSA, reflected the fact the union was only for senior consultants and specialists. Over the decades our organisation has a proud history of standing up for the interests of its members, often when no-one else has.
That dogged spirit will not change, but the shift to the Hospital Doctors Union (HDU) reflects the modern reality: we now represent all grades, from medical students and resident doctors to SAS grades and consultants.
The name change also reflects the findings of independent research which found that members felt strongly that being a specialist organisation dedicated solely to hospital doctors was an important part of why they joined the union in the first place.
Our legal status and recognition, our proud heritage dating back to 1948, our democratic structures and our leadership and staff shall remain exactly the same.
Has there been any change to who is eligible to join the Hospital Doctors Union?
Not at all. Membership extends to all consultants, SAS, resident and locally employed doctors and dentists.
Membership is open to any of these grades working in the NHS or private sector. Medical students can join as associate members.
Can GPs join the Hospital Doctors Union?
Practice-based GPs and dentists have never been eligible for membership and this remains the case. HDU is a proudly specialist union which focuses solely on hospital doctors and dentists in the NHS and private sectors.
However, HDU’s expert focus extends to GP resident doctors currently on NHS hospital contracts, as well as consultants, SAS and resident doctors working in community settings, and hospital dentists of these grades, who are all eligible for membership. We would strongly encourage you to join to ensure you are protected at work, and to strengthen our collective voice.
Will the way I get in touch with you change?
HDU is in the process of switching our internal digital systems to reflect our shift from HCSA to the new name. The main immediate change will be the emails we contact you from and which are publicly listed, as all our email addresses will now default to use the hospitaldoctorsunion.org format.
However, emails you have sent or send to hcsa.com are unaffected and will still reach their intended recipient for the foreseeable future.
There are no other significant changes to the ways you can contact us – phone numbers will remain the same, and our member portal is accessible in the same way.
Does the name change to the Hospital Doctors Union mean that the organisation has changed its politically unaffiliated stance?
No, not at all. The then Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association became a Trades Union Congress affiliate in the 1970s, and we all benefit from working together with other TUC affiliates where our objectives align.
The TUC has provided significant support to our organisation, including advice, lobbying to ensure HCSA, now HDU, is heard by government, as well as training and other resources to assist our work.
We are also affiliated to the General Federation of Trade Unions, which too provides invaluable advice, support and training for staff and members in a cost-effective way by pooling resources with other trade union organisations.
Our change to the new Hospital Doctors Union name does not represent a shift in our politically unaffiliated stance, and there is no expectation placed upon us to do so.
Will my current membership, fees or direct debit be affected by the name change?
No action is required from members. Direct debits, membership numbers, and fee structures carry over seamlessly.
The only difference you may see in future is the name against your direct debit with us, which we expect to change from Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association to the Hospital Doctors Union. We will inform you about this when it takes place, in line with our obligations to ensure you are fully informed.
Will the Hospital Doctors Union website and social media channels be different?
Yes. If you’re reading this you’ll see that our website address will in future be hospitaldoctorsunion.org, while our social media channels have also been updated to reflect the change.
If you already follow us on social media, then you don’t need to do anything. If you’d like to follow us, you’ll find the updated links at the bottom of this page. We’d encourage you to do so to keep updated with developments affecting you and the wider profession, and also as a mechanism to promote union membership to your colleagues.