Resident doctors in England begin five-day strike over pay dispute

Resident doctors across England have begun a five-day strike over pay and working conditions, marking their 14th walkout since March 2023.

The industrial action started at 7:00 am on December 17 and is scheduled to continue until 7:00 am on December 22. It coincides with a record number of flu cases across England, with NHS leaders warning that hospitals are already under “huge strain” and that the strike will lead to “further disruption and delays” for patients, per Sky News.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the strike as “irresponsible,” while Health Secretary Wes Streeting rejected the British Medical Association’s (BMA) demands, accusing the union of showing a “shocking disregard for patient safety.”

The BMA, which represents resident doctors, said the strike was “entirely avoidable” and blamed the government for failing to make a “credible offer” to prevent what it described as continued real-terms pay cuts.

According to the government, resident doctors have received an average pay rise of 28.9% over the past three years, covering the 2023–24 to 2025–26 period. However, the BMA argues that inflation has significantly eroded doctors’ earnings and is demanding an additional 26% pay uplift to restore pay levels in real terms.

Talks between the two sides remain stalled, with no immediate resolution in sight as the NHS enters one of its most challenging periods of the winter.

The National Health Service is the publicly funded healthcare system in England, and one of the four National Health Service systems in the United Kingdom. 

By Khagan Isayev