Health Secretary Wes Streeting has accused resident doctors in England of undermining their own pay rises and training opportunities by going on strike. Tens of thousands of doctors began a six-day stoppage on Tuesday, the longest in the ongoing dispute, which has now seen 15 rounds of industrial action since March 2023.
Streeting told the Guardian that the British Medical Association (BMA) rejected a serious government offer that would have delivered an average pay rise of 4.9% this year, a boost of at least 6.2% for the lowest-paid doctors, and an overall increase of 35.2% compared with four years ago. The offer also included up to 4,500 additional specialty training posts over three years, with 1,000 starting this April.
The BMA is seeking a 26% pay rise spread over several years. It declared the strike after accusing the government of shifting the goalposts in negotiations, particularly over when £700m of extra progression pay would be provided. The BMA wanted the full amount in the new NHS operational year, while the government proposed spreading it over three years.
NHS officials estimate the strike will cost the health service around £300m, with total costs since 2023 exceeding £3bn. The stoppage is expected to lead to cancelled appointments and longer waits for patients. Health leaders have urged patients not to avoid seeking necessary care.
Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA's resident doctors committee, said the strikes were avoidable and blamed the government for watering down the deal at the last minute. He noted that the government had also pulled an offer to create 1,000 extra specialist training places this year. Streeting has written to the BMA expressing his disappointment.
