Resident Doctors Vote to Strike Again Over Pay
Resident doctors in England have overwhelmingly voted to strike again, renewing tensions with the government over pay. Despite receiving a 22% raise over the past two years and an additional 5.4% this year, the British Medical Association (BMA) argues that doctors’ wages remain 20% lower in real terms than they were in 2008. Over 26,000 doctors voted in favour of further walkouts, giving the BMA a mandate to strike until January 2026.
The union says it’s still open to talks but remains firm on its demand for “pay restoration.” They’re pushing for a 29% increase over several years to undo years of stagnant wages. “Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong,” said junior doctors committee co-chairs Ross Nieuwoudt and Melissa Ryan. The BMA called the latest pay award “woefully inadequate” and warned the government not to ignore the growing frustration among doctors.
Health leaders are concerned the strikes will cause significant NHS disruption, with hundreds of thousands of appointments and operations at risk. Wes Streeting, the new Labour health secretary, now faces pressure from both resident doctors and other NHS staff groups, including consultants and nurses, who are also threatening action over pay. As the BMA put it: “The results are in: we have a clear mandate to strike… enough is enough.”
