Resident doctors in England will go on strike for six days after Easter after rejecting what they described as the final offer from Health Secretary Wes Streeting to resolve the long-running pay dispute. The British Medical Association (BMA) blamed the government for the decision to hold its longest stoppage yet, from 7am on Tuesday 7 April to 6.59am on Monday 13 April.
This will be the 15th industrial action by resident doctors in their campaign for full pay restoration, marking the fourth consecutive year of strikes. NHS leaders warned the walkout could cost the health service an estimated £300 million, leading to cancelled appointments and longer waits for tests, treatment, and surgery.
Streeting called the BMA's move "enormously disappointing," stating that resident doctors had rejected a "generous" offer and a "landmark new deal" that would have provided higher salaries through more frequent and fairer pay rises and additional training places. Talks had been ongoing since early January, with both sides acknowledging progress on salaries and training pathways.
Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA's resident doctors committee (RDC), said negotiations went well until two weeks ago "when the government began to shift the goalposts." The key issue was pay progression, or "nodal point reform," specifically the speed at which doctors move through the NHS pay system. The proposed deal would have given resident doctors about £700 million over three years, but the BMA wanted the full amount in the 2026-27 financial year, while the Department of Health and Social Security insisted on spreading it over three years.
The BMA also cited the decision by the doctors and dentists remuneration review body to award a 3.5% pay rise next year as a sign the government would not meet their demands. The first strike by resident doctors began on 13 March 2023, and Streeting had previously offered a 22% pay rise in July 2024. The RDC has sought an additional 26% rise over several years to compensate for salary erosion since 2008-09. Both sides have signalled willingness for further talks, though the BMA has said a deal is only possible if the government agrees to the full £700 million in the upcoming financial year.
