Talks between Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the British Medical Association (BMA) are set for next week. This is an effort to prevent a five-day junior doctors’ strike in England.
Resident doctors (formerly junior doctors) announced plans to walk out from 25-30 July over ongoing pay disputes. The government has maintained that it cannot improve its offer of a 5.4% pay rise for this year.
In a joint statement, BMA junior doctors’ committee co-chairs Dr. Ross Nieuwoudt and Dr. Melissa Ryan said they were “happy to continue discussions.” They emphasized the need for a credible offer to restore pay to 2008 levels.
“We are glad the Secretary of State has taken us up on our offer and look forward to constructive talks,” they said. They added that progress could lead to suspending the planned strike.
While Health Department sources say Streeting is open to improving working conditions, he remains firm on not increasing salaries further. Streeting called the strike “unnecessary and unreasonable,” warning it could “push back progress on NHS waiting lists.”
Recent Ipsos polling, health secretary shows public backing for junior doctors’ strikes has dropped from 52% to 26% since June 2023.
Meanwhile, Lord Robert Winston, a leading fertility specialist, resigned from the BMA over the strikes. He called them damaging to public trust in the medical profession.
- Current salaries: £37,000–£70,000 (before the 5.4% increase, effective August 2024).
- Previous deal: A 22% pay rise over two years ended last year’s strikes.
- Key demand: Pay restoration to 2008 levels, which doctors say remains 20% lower in real terms.
If talks fail, the five-day strike will proceed, potentially disrupting NHS services. The outcome of next week’s negotiations will determine whether further industrial action can be avoided.
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