Resident doctors in England will stage a six-day strike starting on 7 April after rejecting what they described as the final offer from Health Secretary Wes Streeting. The British Medical Association (BMA) blamed the government for the breakdown in talks, which would have been the longest walkout so far in the ongoing pay dispute.
The strike is set to run from 7am on Tuesday 7 April to 6.59am on Monday 13 April, marking the 15th industrial action by resident doctors in their campaign for full pay restoration. NHS leaders warned the strike could cost the health service an estimated £300 million, leading to cancelled appointments and longer waits for patients.
Streeting expressed disappointment, calling the rejected offer “generous” and part of a “landmark new deal” that would have provided higher salaries through more frequent and fairer pay rises, as well as additional training places. Talks had been ongoing since early January, with both sides initially reporting progress on salaries and career progression for early-career doctors.
The key sticking point was the speed of pay progression through the NHS pay system, known as “nodal point reform”. The BMA wanted the full £700 million package—comprising £150 million in 2026-27, £200 million in 2027-28, and £300 million in 2028-29—to be delivered entirely in the first year, while the Department of Health and Social Care insisted on spreading it over three years.
Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said negotiations had been progressing well until two weeks ago when the government “began to shift the goalposts”. The BMA also cited a recent 3.5% pay award from the review body as evidence that the government was not meeting their demands. Both sides have signalled willingness to hold further talks, but the BMA has indicated a deal is only possible if the full £700 million is agreed for the upcoming financial year.
