Resident doctors across England began their 14th strike action in less than three years on Wednesday, withdrawing services from the National Health Service (NHS) for five consecutive days amid an escalating dispute over pay and working conditions. The industrial action comes at a particularly challenging time as the country grapples with what health officials are describing as a “super flu” outbreak.
The strike, organised by the British Medical Association (BMA), centres on doctors’ demands for a 26 per cent pay increase to offset what they characterise as significant real-term earnings losses caused by inflation over recent years. This demand follows a previously negotiated 28.9 per cent pay rise secured over three years through earlier strike actions.
According to doctors on the picket lines, the pay dispute reflects deeper systemic issues within the NHS. Dr Shivam Sharma, a 25-year-old resident doctor picketing outside St Thomas’ Hospital in London, highlighted staffing shortages as a critical concern. “We know that we’re about 40,000 doctors short compared to the EU average. And that means doctors are having to do the job of multiple doctors,” Dr Sharma told AFP.
Laura Harmer, another doctor demonstrating at St Thomas’ Hospital, criticised the government’s characterisation of the striking doctors. “The government is definitely trying to demonise junior doctors,” Harmer said. “They’re calling us things like ‘moaning minnies’, ‘juvenile delinquents’. I think they really want to push the blame onto us, when in reality we’re working in these conditions that aren’t acceptable for the pay that we’re getting.”
The timing of the strike has drawn sharp criticism from government officials, particularly given the additional strain on NHS services from the current influenza outbreak. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the industrial action as “irresponsible”, whilst Health Minister Wes Streeting defended the government’s position on fiscal constraints.
According to Streeting, the government faces competing demands on public finances that make it impossible to meet the BMA’s pay demands fully. “There are such a wide range of pressures on the public purse at the moment, on everything from the defence of the nation to crumbling public infrastructure,” the health minister stated. “That is the context in which I’ve asked resident doctors to understand that as a government we’re going as hard and as fast as we can to improve pay, terms and conditions and quality of services.”
The strike affects resident doctors—those below consultant level—who form a significant portion of the NHS medical workforce. These doctors typically include those in training positions and early-career physicians who have completed medical school but have not yet reached consultant status.
In what appears to be a concession to one of the union’s demands, Streeting has agreed that UK-trained doctors should receive priority for training posts over overseas candidates. This policy shift addresses concerns about career progression and job security that have featured prominently in the dispute alongside pay issues.
The industrial action represents a continuation of labour disputes that have plagued the NHS since early 2023, when resident doctors first began strike action. The sustained nature of the dispute—with Wednesday’s walkout marking the 14th such action—underscores the depth of disagreement between the medical profession and successive governments over NHS funding and working conditions.
The “super flu” outbreak has placed additional pressure on NHS services, with hospitals reporting increased admissions and strain on emergency departments. The convergence of the strike action with this public health challenge has intensified debate about the appropriateness of the timing and the potential impact on patient care.
Healthcare analysts note that the dispute reflects broader challenges facing the NHS, including recruitment difficulties, retention problems, and the long-term impact of austerity measures on healthcare funding. The claim that England is approximately 40,000 doctors short compared to European Union averages, if accurate, suggests structural workforce issues that extend beyond immediate pay negotiations.
The five-day strike duration is significant, representing one of the longest continuous periods of industrial action by doctors in recent NHS history. The Christmas season timing amplifies concerns about service provision, as hospitals typically experience increased demand during winter months even without the complication of widespread influenza.