Resident Doctors Heat Up the Medical Scene with a 5‑Day Strike
On 25 July, the country’s resident doctors—once called junior doctors—are gearing up for a five‑day walk‑out. They’re demanding a 29 % pay rise that could cancel tens of thousands of appointments that month. Picture a hospital that normally greets about 300,000 outpatients a day—now next week it might be almost empty.
Why the Fuss? The Pay‑Rise Paradox
Across the last three years, resident doctors already saw a 28.9 % pay rise. So why the strike? The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, says it’s “completely unreasonable” to protest after that boost.
“No trade union in British history has ever gotten a 28.9 % pay rise and then staged a strike, and most BMA members didn’t even vote to strike,” he added. “The NHS recovery is hanging by a thread, and the BMA threatens to pull it apart.”
Health Secretary’s Letter to the BMA
- “Disappointed that we made a jump last year, but the BMA still threatens strike action.”
- “A ‘higher than affordability’ pay rise was already granted. Still, the public won’t see why we’d walk out.”
Streeting’s letter stresses that public servants must focus on collective progress, not individual grudges.
From NHS Providers to Doctor Leaders: The Three‑Way Battle
Chief executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles, slammed the short notice:
- “Two weeks’ notice is a nightmare for patients and a blow to the NHS that has been pushing back waiting lists.”
- “A lack of respect for other disciplines who worked for less.”
Meanwhile, two co‑leaders of the BMA committee—Dr. Melissa Ryan and Dr. Ross Nieuwoudt—argue that every stop‑gap has been tried:
- “Everything to avoid strike action, to open negotiations for pay restoration.”
- “The government refuses to negotiate on pay, focusing on non‑pay items that are totally unclear.”
- “If Streeting can come to the table in the next two weeks, we can pause the strikes.”
They point out that no doctor wants to strike—but those strikes will happen unless the government takes action.
Keeping It Human: The Bottom Line
Who knows who will fill in? Perhaps a tri‑age nurse, or those who had to juggle multiple roles to keep the healthcare wheel turning. Either way, patients will get lockdowned schedules, missed surgeries, and maybe some extra coffee for the staff.
All this drama unfolds while the NHS very lightly steadies itself—walking a tightrope that hangs on the hope that negotiations will salvage both the doctors’ livelihoods and the public’s trust.
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