UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Resident doctors in England will strike from 25 to 30 July, demanding a 29.2% pay rise after the government refused to negotiate further on pay.
As reported by the Guardian, the British Medical Association has confirmed that resident doctors in England will strike from 25 to 30 July over stalled pay talks with the government.
The BMA has set strike dates nationwide and given the health secretary two weeks to begin talks on restoring doctors’ pay.
What did resident doctors say after pay talks collapsed?
Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, co-chairs of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said talks with Wes Streeting failed to produce any movement on pay.
In a statement, they stated,
“We met Wes Streeting yesterday and made every attempt to avoid strike action by opening negotiations for pay restoration. Unfortunately, the government has stated that it will not negotiate on pay, wanting to focus on non-pay elements without suggesting what these might be. Without a credible offer to keep us on the path to restore our pay, we have no choice but to call strikes.”
They added,
“No doctor wants to strike, and these strikes don’t have to go ahead. If Mr Streeting can seriously come to the table in the next two weeks, we can ensure that no disruption is caused. The government knows what is needed to avert strikes. The choice is theirs.”
What did Wes Streeting say about the planned doctor strikes?
Wes Streeting has criticised the planned strike, saying the public “will not forgive” such action, which he described as a “disaster” for both patients and doctors.
He added,
“I urge the BMA, even at this late stage, to reconsider this deeply damaging course of action. Work with a government that wants to work with you: to improve working conditions for staff and care for patients. The public will not forgive strike action in these circumstances and nor will I.”
What did Number 10 say about pay talks with resident doctors?
A No 10 spokesperson said,
“We aren’t going to reopen negotiations on pay. Resident doctors have received the highest pay award across the public sector for two years in a row, and we’ve been clear that we can’t be more generous than we already have this year.”
What did Daniel Elkeles say about possible industrial action?
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, stated,
“A return to industrial action would be a huge setback – bad for patients, for staff and for the NHS.”
How much pay rise are resident doctors demanding?
The BMA reports that 90% of voting resident doctors supported strikes, with a 55% turnout, demanding a 29.2% pay increase to compensate for long-term wage decline.
The BMA’s members backed a government pay agreement in September, offering a 22.3% rise over two years.
Resident doctors got a 4% pay rise plus £750 consolidated under the 2025-26 deal, averaging a 5.4% overall increase.
The association’s request for a 29.2% pay increase is based on inflation, the standard gauge of average price shifts for most households.
Key facts about the British Medical Association
- Over 190,000 members in 2023, boosted by 21,000 new junior doctors.
- Won £2 million in compensation and set aside £7 million for pay campaigns.
- Supported 14 strikes since April 2023, including historic consultant strikes.
- Gives over £900,000 yearly for medical research in cardiology, mental health, and more.