The British Medical Association (BMA) has confirmed a full strike by more than 26,000 resident doctors – the term now used for ‘junior’ doctors – scheduled from 7am on July 25 to 7am on July 30. This walkout could disrupt over 200,000 NHS appointments, placing considerable strain on healthcare services.
With only two weeks’ notice, some patients will likely face delayed treatments unless NHS management can swiftly reorganize staffing to cover absences. Health Secretary Wes Streeting responded firmly, emphasizing that the public’s tolerance for strikes is limited given recent pay settlements.
Streeting stated: “While we cannot offer further pay increases this year, there remains much we can do together to support resident doctors and strengthen the NHS. In my tenure, we have achieved more progress addressing your concerns than in previous prolonged disputes.
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“Striking now disregards the collaborative approach we have established and risks hindering the NHS’s recovery progress — ultimately impacting patients. I remain ready to meet with the BMA Resident Doctor Committee to resolve this dispute without resorting to strike action.
“As public servants, we must recognise that after a 28.9% pay rise over recent years, the public will struggle to understand the necessity of further strike action.”
Last year’s strikes have already heavily impacted care. In April 2023, a five-day junior doctors’ strike led to the cancellation of 201,000 appointments. A previous walkout in June-July 2022 resulted in more than 60,000 cancelled hospital appointments in England alone.
Though the BMA has expressed willingness to negotiate, they claim the government has refused to discuss pay rises, focusing instead solely on non-pay related issues without clarity on proposed measures. Co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said their recent meeting with Streeting involved efforts to avoid strike action, which unfortunately were unsuccessful.
The BMA demands a 29.2% pay increase, arguing the earlier 5.4% rise did not make up for years of pay freezes, leading to a decline in real-term earnings since 2008 due to inflation. Conversely, Streeting highlighted that the 5.4% rise was the highest public sector increase this year and noted that doctors have received an average 28.9% pay rise over the past three years, reflecting significant investment.
He also expressed disappointment over the strike decision and pointed to upcoming initiatives designed to improve working conditions and patient safety. These include the creation of 1,000 new training posts prioritizing UK graduates, a new safety reporting system launching in September, and a review aimed at making medical training less disruptive and more effective.
As tensions rise, both sides face mounting pressure to find a resolution that safeguards patient care while addressing doctors’ concerns.