An England-wide resident doctors’ strike from the NHS is still currently scheduled to take place from Friday – however, talks are continuing to avert the possible industrial action.
Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, are planning a full workout in England from Friday, July 25, after 6:59am. This would last until 6:59am on Wednesday, July 30, with Hull-area hospitals such as Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital preparing for the possible disruption.
The British Medical Association (BMA) is seeking a 29 per cent pay rise for resident doctors, spread over several years, to make their salaries match the real-terms value of their salaries in 2008. Ministers have so far officially offered a 5.4 per cent rise. Resident doctors got a 22 per cent salary rise in 2023-24, spread over two years.
The co-chairs of the BMA’s resident doctors committee met Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting on Thursday, July 17, in an attempt to avert the strike action. Talks lasted more than an hour, with pay and non-pay issues discussed.
BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said it was “a constructive meeting”. “While we did not see a lot of detail, we do believe there now is a window of opportunity – albeit small – in which the Government can put forward a proposal, strong enough for the strikes to be prevented. That at least is good news; no doctor wants to strike and talking now is essential to making sure they don’t have to.”
They added they were “open to a number of solutions that address the cost of living of resident doctors”. There are over 70,000 resident doctors in England and all are eligible to take part in the strike action, regardless of BMA membership.
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