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Junior doctors’ strike: Give us credible offer and we’ll end strikes, says BMA
- Ministers say they are not prepared to negotiate while strikes are ongoing
LONDON (Reuters) – England’s state-run National Health Service (NHS) faced a historic crisis on Wednesday, as junior doctors began a six-day strike over pay, the longest in its 75-year history. The walkout, which coincides with a winter surge in demand, will affect patient care across the country.
The strike is part of a series of protests by junior doctors, who are represented by the British Medical Association (BMA), against the government’s refusal to offer them a fair pay rise amid soaring inflation. The union said the government had a chance to end the dispute by making a “credible” offer, and warned that the morale of the health service was at rock bottom.
The NHS, which has been providing free healthcare since 1948, has cancelled 1.2 million appointments since the strikes started in 2023. The government, which has reached new pay agreements with other health workers, such as nurses and senior doctors, has rejected the BMA’s demand for a 35% pay increase, saying it would fuel inflation.
The BMA walked out of talks after being offered 8% to 10%, and staged strikes from Dec. 20 to 23. Junior doctors are trained doctors, who often have several years of experience, and work under the supervision of senior doctors. They form a large part of the medical workforce.
Stephen Powis, the national medical director of the NHS, said on Tuesday that this January could be the toughest start to the year the NHS has ever seen. He said the strike would have a huge impact on planned care, and would add to the existing pressures of covid, flu, and staff sickness.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the striking junior doctors were “outliers”, as the government had reached fair deals with other health unions. He said the government was open to further talks, but the first step was to call off the strike.
