Resident doctors warn of ‘immensely disruptive' potential co-ordinated strikes
Resident doctors have warned they could launch co-ordinated industrial action with consultants and specialist doctors, if the groups vote to strike, in a move that would be 'immensely disruptive for patient care'.
The physicians formerly known as junior doctors are being balloted in England for strike action that could last for six months by the British Medical Association (BMA) following criticism of the Government's recent pay rise offer of an average 5.4% rise for resident doctors.
The threat of co-ordinated action comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting urged doctors to vote against striking, with polling suggesting almost half of the British public are opposed to the proposed walkouts.
The co-chairs of the resident doctors committee are calling on members to vote for strikes, with Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt telling The Sunday Times that consultants and specialty and associate specialist (SAS) doctors are also in pay disputes with the Government, and future industrial action could be co-ordinated across those groups.
Dr Ryan, who works in Nottingham, said: 'We know how much the strikes last time were disruptive to patient care and the waiting list, but we also know exactly how much they cost the government and it was more than what it would cost to get to full pay restoration.
'Resident doctors are balloting for strike action but now you've got the consultant committee and you've got the SAS doctors also in a pay dispute with the Government.
'So last time we ended up co-ordinating some action and it was immensely disruptive for patient care, and we can see that on the horizon for this Government too.'
'We will have a mandate that runs from the end of July to the beginning of January 2026,' she continued.
'I am hoping that we will never get to the point where we have to take strike action but… we have three grades of doctors that are in pay disputes with the Government and there could be terrible disruption if the Government doesn't intervene soon.'
Reality:
I met twice with Resident Doctors in May and at the last meeting I offered to meet their entire committee.
I can't offer a higher pay increase: resident doctors have the highest pay award in the entire public sector.
These are not grounds that warrant strike action. https://t.co/gEid97eUPk
— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) June 1, 2025
Dr Nieuwoudt, a resident doctor in Liverpool, claimed Mr Streeting has become unwilling to engage.
'(He) seems to have gone from being the guy that was saying, 'Get in the room; talk it out; solve the problem,' to the guy that's not even willing to have that conversation with us,' he told the newspaper.
On Sunday, the Health Secretary posted on social media that he had met with resident doctors twice in May and offered to meet their entire committee.
'I can't offer a higher pay increase: resident doctors have the highest pay award in the entire public sector,' Mr Streeting said.
'These are not grounds that warrant strike action.'
A recent poll of 4,100 British adults by YouGov found that 48% of Britons oppose resident doctors going on strike, while 39% support them taking action.
YouGov said this 'marks a shift in opinion' of public support of striking junior doctors last summer, when the majority of Britons – 52% – said they supported the action.
It highlighted how Labour supporters were most supportive of strike action, with Conservatives expressing the strongest opposition.
Resident doctors said their pay has declined by '23% in real terms since 2008'.
If they vote to strike, walkouts could begin in July and could potentially last until January 2026.
The Government accepted salary recommendations from pay review bodies earlier this month, resulting in an average 5.4% rise for resident doctors.
A leading patients' organisation said it was 'deeply concerned' about the prospect of strike action in the NHS over the busy winter period.
The Patients Association highlighted how previous strike action from doctors in training led to 1.3 million appointments, procedures and operations being postponed, with the true figure 'likely to be much higher'.
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