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Doctors in England have begun a five-day strike amid hospitals struggling with an intense wave of flu. NHS England has warned that this action, which started at 07:00 on Wednesday, will disrupt non-urgent medical services as hospitals are under increased pressure. This marks the 14th strike by resident doctors—formerly known as junior doctors—in a prolonged dispute over pay. While the Health Secretary has criticized the timing of the strike as deliberately harmful to the NHS and patient care, the British Medical Association (BMA) has assured that it will cooperate with NHS management to maintain patient safety.
The strike follows last-minute negotiations held on Tuesday afternoon, which the government described as “constructive,” but ultimately unsuccessful in preventing industrial action. Resident doctors, who make up almost half of all NHS doctors, are walking out in both emergency and routine care settings. Senior medical staff will be brought in to provide limited cover during the strike period. In contrast to previous strikes in July and November, when many non-urgent operations such as hip and knee replacements continued unaffected, NHS England anticipates greater disruption this time due to increased demand and the complexities of the flu season.
NHS medical director Professor Meghana Pandit highlighted the difficulties faced by staff during this challenging period, noting the high number of flu-related hospital admissions. She expressed concern that larger numbers of patients will feel the impact compared to earlier strikes, and that NHS staff covering the service during this period will miss out on their Christmas breaks. Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the exceptional pressures posed by the combination of flu and strike action during the traditionally busiest time of year for the NHS. Despite these challenges, general practice surgeries will remain open, and urgent and emergency services will still be available, although some disruption to access is expected. For example, Cheltenham General Hospital will temporarily close its emergency department to major emergencies during the strike but will continue to treat minor injuries, directing patients instead to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
Amid the ongoing dispute, resident doctors face additional professional hurdles. Training posts, which begin in the third year of medical training after graduation, are highly competitive. This year, there were 30,000 applicants competing for just 10,000 specialty training positions, including some international doctors. Dr Tom Twentyman, who failed to secure a post in emergency medicine, described the job market as an “absolute nightmare.” He is currently working sporadic locum shifts while applying for multiple short-term contracts, one of which he recently obtained; however, this position does not count towards his specialty training, meaning he will have to reapply next year. Dr Twentyman remarked on the intensity of competition, noting that some job adverts received hundreds of applications within hours and were withdrawn quickly.
On Monday, the BMA announced that after polling its members, it would continue the strike action, effectively rejecting the government’s most recent offer. Dr Jack Fletcher, leader of resident doctors within the BMA, called the vote result a “resounding response,” emphasizing the need for the government to address both job availability and pay. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has refused to reopen pay negotiations, highlighting that doctors have received nearly 30% pay increases over the past three years. However, the BMA points out that when adjusted for inflation, pay for resident doctors is still roughly 20% lower than it was in 2008. Dr Fletcher urged ministers to develop a genuine long-term plan that includes a clear pathway for responsible pay increases and the creation of new training positions to avoid further strikes. Despite the continuing industrial action, the BMA reiterated its commitment to patient safety and pledged ongoing collaboration with NHS England to manage any safety concerns that arise during the strike period
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