Health Secretary Wes Streeting has expressed intense frustration with the British Medical Association (BMA), accusing the doctors' union of threatening the very future of the National Health Service.
Accusations Fly at NHS Conference
Speaking at the NHS Providers annual conference in Manchester, Mr Streeting stated he was 'frustrated to the point of actual fury' with the BMA's approach. He dramatically accused the union of behaving like a cartel and opposing measures that would see wealthier individuals pay more tax.
'Let me tell you, when we ask some of the wealthier to pay more, some of the most effective lobbyists against paying higher tax are the BMA consultants committee and the BMA pensions committee,' Streeting told NHS leaders. 'So what they effectively do is say, 'we want other people to pay for higher salaries for doctors'.'
Impending Strike Action and Government Stance
The confrontation comes as resident doctors, primarily working in hospitals, prepare for a five-day strike scheduled to begin at 7am on Friday, November 14, and conclude at 7am on Tuesday, November 19. This industrial action is expected to lead to thousands of cancelled appointments and operations.
Despite a last-minute plea from the Health Secretary to call off the walkout, the BMA is proceeding. In response, Mr Streeting and NHS England boss Sir Jim Mackey have instructed hospitals to maintain the majority of services during the strike period. A letter to trust leaders emphasised that rescheduling should 'only happen in exceptional circumstances to safeguard patient safety'.
A Deepening Dispute Over Pay
The core of the conflict remains the issue of pay. The BMA's resident doctors committee is demanding a 26% pay uplift to counter what they describe as significant pay erosion since 2008. The union points to the Retail Price Index, indicating a real-terms salary cut of a fifth over this period.
The government, however, contests this figure. Using the Consumer Price Index, which excludes housing costs, it calculates the real-terms decrease at approximately 5% since 2008. Mr Streeting has countered that by any measure, doctor pay has been increasing in real terms in recent years, highlighting an average pay increase of 28.9% for doctors and the latest 5.4% deal for 2025/26.
Declaring that he would not move further on pay, the Health Secretary struck a defiant tone. 'One way or another, we're not going to be held to ransom. We are going to plough on regardless,' he stated. He asserted that the BMA's actions 'threaten not just the recovery of the NHS under this government, they threaten the future of the NHS full stop,' labelling this a 'morally reprehensible position.'
Mr Streeting concluded by signalling his intention to bypass the union, vowing to make progress on issues like specialty training places and the international medical graduates issue without the BMA's involvement, insisting his government would 'just keep our eyes on the prize' of improving the NHS.
