Why are resident doctors on strike and how long will it last?

NHS doctors have started their five-day walkout across emergency care services across England, with health secretary Wes Streeting branding them a ‘cartel’.

Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, after the British Medical Association and the government failed to agree on a deal regarding pay.

Hospitals will be placed under the most strain, as resident doctors make around half the workforce. But NHS England said patients should be able to still make appointments unless they have been told otherwise.

The long-running pay dispute has been ongoing since March 2023.

These fresh strikes mark the 13th over the last two years.

Why are resident doctors on strike?

Resident doctors have received a pay rise of 28.9% over the last three years, but the BMA argues wages are still 20% lower in real terms than in 2008.

The strike action was announced after a meeting with Mr Streeting, which was described as ‘disappointing but not unredeemable’ and has urged the health secretary to resume talks.

Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said: ‘This is not where we wanted to be.

‘We talked with the Government in good faith – keen for the health secretary to see that a deal that included options to gradually reverse the cuts to pay over several years, giving newly trained doctors a pay increase of just a pound an hour for the next four years.

‘While we want to get such a deal done, the Government seemingly does not, leaving us with little option but to call for strike action.’

He cited ‘better employment prospects and restoring pay’ as being the more credible ways the government can help resident doctors.

However, Mr Streeting has called the strike action ‘preposterous’, calling the walkouts ‘unreasonable and unnecessary’.

‘It is preposterous that the BMA have rushed headlong into more damaging strike action a week after its new leadership opened discussions with the Government,’ he said.

‘After resident doctors have received a 28.9% pay rise, the Government has been clear that we simply cannot go further on pay this year.

‘But by walking out on strike, the BMA are walking away from an offer to improve resident doctors’ working conditions and create more speciality training roles to progress their careers. The BMA are blocking a better deal for doctors.’

He argued the walkouts ‘do not have the public’s support, nor did a majority of resident doctors vote for them’.

How long will the strike last?

The strike will take place from 7am on November 14 until 7am on November 19.

The BMA’s resident doctors committee has repeatedly called for the government to mandate a multi-year pay deal or in-year improvements to resident doctors’ pay.

However, following talks with Health Secretary Wes Streeting, it felt the government’s plans for pay and job restoration were not credible enough, prompting the strikes next month.

Resident doctor leaders met with Mr Streeting on October 13, calling for a solution to issues regarding underpayment and job shortages, but they felt there was ‘little option but to call for strike action’.

How will patients be affected?

It is possible the strikes could cause disruption and possible cancellations, as had happened during previous strikes.

But NHS England insists all services will still be up and running.

The body wants to keep 95% of non-urgent work, such a knee operations, going.

Consultants and other senior doctors will be offered overtime to help fill gaps – but this expected to coast around £240 million to fully cover the rota.

While it is not yet clear exactly how many patients might be impacted, strikes in previous years have resulted in thousands of cancelled appointments.

Patients may expect to see their appointments rescheduled as resident doctors walk out next month.

What has Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting said?

The Health Secretary warned the strikes could harm patients in the long run, describing the BMA’s announcement as ‘reckless posturing’.

He said: ‘We will not allow the BMA to wreck the NHS’s recovery.

‘I urge the BMA to call off these needless strikes and come back to the table. They have a Government that wants to work with them to improve the working lives of resident doctors and create an NHS fit for the future.’

Streeting has always said he could not negotiate anymore on pay but, adding doctors have received pay rises over the last three years.

He also said he proposed a deal which will see some out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees paid for.

In July, Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged resident doctors to not go down the ‘damaging road’ of strike action.

Writing in the Times, he said it would be a ‘huge loss for the NHS and the country’.

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