Doctors have announced another NHS strike immediately after their first meeting with the new Health Secretary, James Murray. Resident doctors will stage a four-day walkout from June 15 to demand more pay, marking their 16th strike in the industrial dispute that has continued since 2023.
The British Medical Association (BMA) called the strike after meeting Mr Murray, who replaced Wes Streeting as Health Secretary a fortnight ago. The BMA rejected a 3.5% pay rise for resident doctors for 2026/27, which the government said would average 4.9% with other measures. Mr Murray expressed disappointment, stating that the BMA's demands for further substantial pay increases are unrealistic, unaffordable, and unsustainable.
The walkout will run from 7am on Monday June 15 to 7am on Friday June 19. Thousands of operations are expected to be postponed, and senior doctors and nurses may have annual leave cancelled to cover shifts. The BMA argues that despite recent pay rises, resident doctors' real-terms pay is still down by about a fifth since 2008, according to the retail price index (RPI).
Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA's resident doctors committee, said the union had hoped for a change in approach under Mr Murray but encountered the same unwillingness to move as under Mr Streeting. He called for a credible offer with concrete new jobs and progress towards pay restoration. Mr Murray, previously Chief Secretary to the Treasury, urged the BMA to consider further discussions rather than resorting to strike action.
The industrial dispute began under the previous Conservative government and has continued under Labour. The last strike, a six-day walkout over Easter, was the 15th since 2023, with cumulative costs estimated to exceed £3 billion. The BMA has a mandate for industrial action until August and warns of further strikes in July if no progress is made.
