Resident Doctors Vote To Hold Fresh Wave Of Strikes
Resident doctors previously held strikes in 2022 and 2024 and reached a pay deal with the government (Alamy)
2 min read
Resident doctors in England have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, the British Medical Association (BMA) has confirmed, reigniting tensions in the long-running NHS pay dispute.
The BMA carried out a ballot of resident doctors – previously called junior doctors – and more than 90 per cent backed industrial action, with turnout reaching 55 per cent. Over 26,000 doctors voted in favour, while just under 3,000 opposed.
The vote followed months of negotiations, with the BMA accusing the government of failing to address years of real-terms pay erosion.
The latest vote comes after the government offered a four per cent pay rise to doctors and teachers in England and Wales in May – slightly above inflation, but well below the level unions said is needed to restore pay to pre-austerity levels.
The National Education Union (NEU), which represents teachers, has also warned that further strike action remains on the table.
Other NHS staff in England – including nurses, midwives and physiotherapists – are set to receive a 3.6 per cent pay rise from 1 April, according to Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Last year, the BMA accepted the government’s offer of a 22.3 per cent pay increase over two years.
Ministers now face renewed pressure to re-enter talks, as the threat of further disruption to NHS services looms over the summer months.
The last round of strikes included 11 separate walkouts by doctors lasting multiple days between 2022 and 2024, which NHS England estimated led to almost 1.5m appointments being cancelled or rescheduled.
There is concern that the fresh waves of strikes could make it very difficult for the government to reach its NHS waiting list targets.
“The results are in: we have a clear mandate to strike,” the BMA wrote on X as the new strike was announced. “You've made it clear: enough is enough.”
