Health Secretary Condemns 'Morally Reprehensible' NHS Strikes
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has issued a stark warning that the upcoming five-day resident doctors' strike will cost the National Health Service an estimated £240 million. In a fiery speech delivered at the NHS Providers' conference in Manchester, he launched a scathing attack on the British Medical Association (BMA), accusing the union of engaging in 'cartel-like behaviour' and causing 'untold misery and disruption' to patients.
'Plough Ahead Regardless': Government's Firm Stance
Mr Streeting declared that the government would not 'be held to ransom' by the BMA, stating it was time for the union to 'get real'. He argued that the BMA was no longer a professional voice for doctors and that its actions threatened not just the NHS's recovery but its very future. The Health Secretary described the planned industrial action, set to begin at 7am on Friday, as 'morally reprehensible', especially given warnings of the worst flu season in a decade.
He revealed that the financial impact of the walkout means the government 'will not be able to afford the same offer' it previously made to the BMA in an attempt to avert the strikes. This comes against a backdrop where NHS strikes have already cost an estimated £1.7 billion since 2023-24.
Pay Rise Context and Last-Minute Plea
Defending the government's position, Mr Streeting highlighted that resident doctors have received a 28.9 per cent pay rise. He stated he could not think of a precedent in British trade union history where workers chose to strike after such an increase. The government has also increased training places and made offers on areas like exam fees.
Despite the strong rhetoric, the Health Secretary stopped short of endorsing anti-strike legislation, stating that as a Labour politician, it was 'certainly not my instinct'. Instead, he made a final plea for an eleventh-hour cancellation, asserting that 'patients, doctors, and the wider NHS staff all lose if strikes go ahead'.
His comments were met with applause from the audience of NHS trust leaders. Echoing the need for resolution, NHS England chief Jim Mackey also addressed the conference, labelling the strikes as 'irritating' and emphasising the need to 'get around the table'.
The conference also heard confirmation that NHS England has been given permission to proceed with thousands of redundancies as part of a reorganisation, using funds 'reprofiled' from future budget increases, with no new money allocated for the payouts.
