Government Pulls 1,000 Training Posts as Doctor Strike to Go Ahead
A long-running dispute between the government and resident doctors in England has escalated, with ministers confirming that they will withdraw plans for 1,000 new training posts after strike action was not called off.
The decision follows a 48-hour ultimatum from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who warned the offer would be taken off the table if the British Medical Association (BMA) did not cancel a planned six-day walkout. With no agreement reached, resident doctors are now set to strike from 7th April.
The training roles were part of a wider package aimed at resolving disagreements over pay, career progression and working conditions. Around 1,000 of those positions were expected to be filled this year as part of a broader plan to expand specialist training.
The government says the withdrawal is a direct result of the strike going ahead. A spokesperson said: "Because the BMA resident doctor committee has not agreed to call off these strikes and put an offer to members, we will now not be able to deliver the 1,000 extra training places which the BMA asked for."
They added: "These posts would have gone live this month, but as systems now need to prepare for strikes and more uncertainty, it simply won't be operationally or financially possible to launch these posts in time to recruit for this year."
Ministers insist that the overall number of doctors in the NHS will not change, as the posts were expected to come from existing short-term roles.
But the move has sparked anger from union leaders, who say it risks harming future workforce development. Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, called the situation “extremely disappointing”.
“It is simply wrong that the development of the doctors of the future is being used as a pawn like this,” he said.
He also warned that the government’s handling of negotiations has made things worse, writing: “The political rhetoric – threatening to remove training places – coupled with the way the government has communicated the offer, has needlessly and avoidably inflamed the dispute, ultimately pushing the chance of a deal further away.”
At the centre of the dispute is pay. The government has pointed to a 3.5% increase in pay this year, saying that the pay increase is above inflation and is part of a wider pay rise over recent years. But the BMA argues that the offer does not reflect the rising cost of living and says real-term pay is still significantly below 2008 levels.
Doctors have also raised concerns about changes to pay progression and the lack of long-term guarantees, including calls for pay deals to extend to 2029.
Despite ongoing talks, there is little sign of a breakthrough before the strike begins. NHS leaders are now preparing for disruption, especially as the walkout coincides with the Easter holidays.
The upcoming strike will be the 15th round of strikes by resident doctors since 2023.
