Resident Doctors Vote to Strike in England

Resident Doctors Vote to Strike in England

Resident doctors in England have once again voted in favour of strike action, in the latest chapter in a long-running pay dispute. The doctors, previously known as junior doctors, were awarded a 5.4% pay rise for this financial year, following a 22% increase over the previous two years.

But the British Medical Association says wages are still around 20% lower in real terms than in 2008 and are demanding “pay restoration”.

The government says it wants to work constructively to improve working conditions for NHS staff and avoid strike action.

The BBC is reporting that the BMA has said 90% of its 48,000 members had voted in favour of industrial action in the ballot on a turnout of 55%.

The co-chairs of the union’s junior doctors committee, Ross Nieuwoudt and Melissa Ryan, said they would seek fresh talks with the government and there was still time to avert a walkout.

“Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong,” they said in a joint statement. “All we need is a credible pay offer and nobody need strike.”

The union now has a mandate for possible industrial action for six months, up to January 2026.

The government said it was “disappointing” that the BMA was continuing to threaten industrial action after doctors had been awarded a pay rise of 28.9% over the last three years.

“The secretary of state has been clear that he wants to work constructively with all unions to improve working conditions for NHS staff and avoid strike action, which can be hugely disruptive for patients,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care.

Resident doctors took part in 11 separate strikes during 2023 and 2024, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of thousands of outpatient appointments and other hospital procedures.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents the providers of NHS services, said a strike could jeopardise attempts to cut waiting lists in England.

“It is disappointing that despite making ending the resident doctors’ strikes a priority after entering office, the government is now back to where it was a year ago,” he said.

“There is also the risk that these strikes heighten tensions within different staffing groups, with nurses and other staff also discussing industrial action.”