Resident doctors in England are set to stage a six-day strike next month after talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government broke down.
The strike, scheduled to start at 07:00 GMT on 7 April, will be the 15th walkout since March 2023. According to the BMA, the government's offer of a 3.5% pay rise this year is insufficient to address doctors' pay claims and concerns about job shortages.
The BMA described the pay rise as a 'crushing blow' for doctors, citing that it would lead to further pay erosion given the expected increase in inflation. Dr Jack Fletcher from the BMA said, 'We have been negotiating in good faith for weeks. We are simply not going to put an offer to doctors that risks locking in further erosion of pay at a time when doctors continue to leave the UK for other countries.'
Government Response
Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that the BMA's expectations were 'beyond reasonable and realistic.' He said, 'It is enormously disappointing for NHS patients and staff that the BMA has rejected this offer. This government has pulled every available lever to put forward a generous package that would have transformed the working lives and career prospects of resident doctors.'
Strike Details
The six-day strike will be one of the longest of the dispute, with resident doctors making up nearly half of medics working in the NHS. Two thirds of resident doctors are BMA members. The walkout is expected to impact NHS services, with the BMA and the government at odds over pay and job shortages.
Background
The BMA argues that despite pay rises totaling nearly 30% over the past three years, resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation is taken into account. The union also claims there is a jobs shortage when doctors move into specialist training at the start of year three.
Previous Talks
The two sides have been in talks on-and-off for the past year, with Streeting maintaining that he will not discuss pay as doctors have received pay rises. The BMA has been seeking to address pay and job shortages, with the government offering to cover some out-of-pocket expenses and increase the number of training posts.
