Health Secretary Wes Streeting Slams 'Unreasonable' Doctors' Union Over NHS Strikes
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has launched a blistering attack on the British Medical Association (BMA), describing the doctors' union as 'unreasonable' and demanding to 'speak to the organ grinders' in a bid to resolve the ongoing NHS strikes. In a series of media interviews on Sunday, Mr Streeting expressed his fury at the BMA's stance, which he labelled 'absurd', as resident doctors in England continue their six-day walkout.
Strike Action and Financial Impact
Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, remain on strike this weekend and are scheduled to return to work at 6.59am on Monday. This marks the 15th round of industrial action by resident doctors in England since 2023, with the current walkout alone expected to cost the NHS approximately £300 million. Cumulatively, the total cost of these strikes is estimated to have surpassed a staggering £3 billion, placing immense strain on healthcare services and finances.
Pay Offer Rejection and Government Position
Prior to the strike, the BMA rejected a Government offer that included a 4.9 per cent increase in average basic pay for resident doctors. Mr Streeting claimed this would have left them 35.2 per cent better off than four years ago. However, the union deemed the offer unacceptable and issued a list of demands concerning pay and job conditions. The Health Secretary highlighted that resident doctors had already received a 28.9 per cent pay rise across three years when Labour first came to power in 2024, a deal agreed upon swiftly after his appointment.
'I called them on day one, had them in week one, and we agreed a deal,' Mr Streeting told Sky News. 'They got a 28.9 per cent pay rise. They have then, for reasons I think are absurd, they've chosen to go out on strike again. They've just rejected a deal that would have put another 4.9 per cent on the table, that would have given thousands of new training opportunities, that would have canceled their exam fees, and they've rejected it.'
Denial of Deal Changes and Accusations
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Streeting 'categorically' denied allegations from the BMA's resident doctors' committee chairman, Dr Jack Fletcher, that ministers had suddenly reduced the financial offer to secure a peace deal. 'Why would that be in my interest or the Government's interest? We've acted in good faith throughout,' he asserted. The Health Secretary suggested that the BMA's claims might stem from either a failure to read the details or a reluctance to take responsibility for the deal among committee members.
'There are only two plausible explanations for what the BMA are saying. Either they didn't read the detail, which I don't believe because they are details people… Or faced with that enormous committee, many of whom are quite hardline in their views, it was more convenient to blame the Government than to accept responsibility for the deal that those officers committed to recommend to their committee,' Mr Streeting explained.
Call for Direct Talks and Broader Responsibilities
Mr Streeting has written to the BMA resident doctors' committee, insisting on meeting not just the officers but the entire committee, whom he accused of rejecting the deal and refusing to engage in discussions over the past two years. 'And given that they are the people calling the shots, I think it's time for me to speak to the organ grinders,' he stated, emphasizing his frustration with the lack of dialogue.
When questioned on Times Radio about whether resident doctors deserve higher pay, Mr Streeting pointed to broader public service needs. 'We work in the NHS many of whom are never paid as much as the lowest paid doctor. I've got a responsibility to patients and while the NHS is of course our most important public service, it is not the only public service in need of investment,' he remarked, underscoring the balancing act required in government spending.
The BMA has been contacted for comment regarding these allegations and the ongoing dispute, as tensions continue to escalate between the union and the Government over pay and working conditions in the NHS.
