The British Medical Association, the doctors’ union, called on Health Secretary Wes Streeting to come to the negotiating table ‘in the next two weeks’ to avoid major disruption
Resident doctors will strike for five days from 7am on July 25 to 7am on July 30, the British Medical Association has announced.
The band of medics – previously known as junior doctors – have demanded Health Secretary Wes Streeting come to the negotiating table “in the next two weeks” to avoid major disruption. The move could trigger chaos for patients who face having their appointments cancelled or delayed.
Bitter relations between the former Tory Government saw resident doctors take major industrial action over 2023-2024. They stages 11 strikes, totalling 44 days, in one of the longest running disputes in the NHS’s history. The walk outs led to 1.5 million appointments, procedures and operations being cancelled or delayed.
In a statement, BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said: “We met Wes Streeting yesterday and made every attempt to avoid strike action by opening negotiations for pay restoration. Unfortunately, the Government has stated that it will not negotiate on pay, wanting to focus on non-pay elements without suggesting what these might be. Without a credible offer to keep us on the path to restore our pay, we have no choice but to call strikes.
“No doctor wants to strike, and these strikes don’t have to go ahead. If Mr Streeting can seriously come to the table in the next two weeks we can ensure that no disruption is caused. The Government knows what is needed to avert strikes. The choice is theirs.”
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