Doctors announce six-day strike in England as talks break down

Doctors announce six-day strike in England as talks break down

6 hours ago
Nick Triggle, Health correspondent

Resident doctors in England are set to initiate a six-day strike next month following a breakdown in negotiations between their union, the British Medical Association (BMA), and the government.

The BMA has indicated that this action is necessary due to the government's inadequate response to their pay demands and the persistent issues related to job shortages.

This strike marks one of the longest in the ongoing dispute, coming after more than two months of discussions that began at the start of the year.

The strike will commence at 07:00 GMT on April 7, directly following the Easter bank holiday weekend, and represents the 15th instance of walkouts since March 2023.

Negotiations faltered when it became clear that doctors were to receive a 3.5% pay increase this year, a recommendation from the independent pay review body that was approved by the government.

However, the BMA criticized this decision, describing the pay award as a "crushing blow" for doctors. Notably, this increase will apply to all doctors, as opposed to exclusively benefiting resident doctors— previously referred to as junior doctors.

In addition to the pay rise, the government proposed covering some of the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by resident doctors, including examination fees, and committed to increasing the number of training positions to tackle what the BMA has identified as a job shortage entering the third year of training.

Moreover, resident doctors would also have the opportunity to advance through the pay bands at an accelerated rate, with starting salaries nearing £39,000 and potential earnings reaching around £74,000.

Dr. Jack Fletcher of the BMA stated that the current proposals would lead to further pay erosion, particularly given the forecasted rise in inflation driven by global factors, such as the ongoing conflict in Iran.

"We have been negotiating in good faith for weeks," he commented.

"We are simply not willing to present an offer to doctors that could result in additional erosion of pay at such a time when many doctors are departing the UK for opportunities abroad."

In response, Health Secretary Wes Streeting asserted that the BMA's demands are "beyond reasonable and realistic."

"It is tremendously disappointing for NHS patients and staff that the BMA has turned down this offer," he remarked.

"This government has taken every possible action to propose a generous package that would significantly enhance the working conditions and career trajectories of resident doctors."

This upcoming walkout will be tied for the longest during the dispute, with only one previous occasion where resident doctors participated in a six-day strike.

Resident doctors represent nearly half of the medical workforce within the NHS, with two-thirds of them being members of the BMA.

Ongoing discussions between both parties have occurred intermittently for the past year.

Streeting has consistently maintained that he will not engage in conversations regarding pay, as doctors have already received pay increases totaling approximately 30% over the last three years.

Conversely, the BMA contends that, despite these increments, the pay for resident doctors remains roughly 20% lower compared to 2008 levels when adjusted for inflation.

Furthermore, the union has expressed concerns over job availability as doctors transition into specialist training at the beginning of their third year, which is a crucial period for determining their specialization in fields such as general practice or surgery.

Last summer, there were 30,000 applicants competing for about 10,000 available positions, with a portion of those applications coming from international doctors.