Resident doctors in England have called off a planned four-day strike after the government presented a new offer, which will now be put to union members for a vote. The walkout, scheduled to begin at 7am on Monday, would have been the 16th round of industrial action since 2023.
The British Medical Association (BMA) confirmed on Saturday that a last-minute proposal had been received, prompting the decision to cancel the strike. This development averts further disruption to NHS services, at least temporarily.
Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said: 'We have always been clear that no strikes needed to go ahead if we received an offer appropriate to put to our members. This should not have been left to the last moment, but we hold up our end of the bargain when the Government shifts its position.'
The offer is understood to include standard 2016 resident doctor contract terms for all locally employed doctors and an average 6.6% pay uplift to be fully implemented by April 2027. Dr Fletcher warned that if the offer is rejected by members, plans for 'further escalated action across next month' would proceed.
Health Secretary James Murray said: 'It is a positive and welcome development – especially for patients – that the BMA have called off these unnecessary strikes.' He added that after a 28.9% pay rise for resident doctors over the last three years, 'the country simply cannot afford to increase the pay offer for this year'.
