Resident Doctors Vow to Keep the Pressure On as Strike Eyes Fade
The cough‑in‑your‑cough and the now‑well‑known “five‑day NHS upheaval” are winding down, but the resident doctors are loudly reminding the government that the showdown isn’t about to end overnight.
Key Quotes from the Doctors’ Frontline
- Dr. Melissa Ryan (RDC Co‑Chair) – “We’ve always kept the door open for talks. If you call us over the weekend with an offer, we’d be on the table in a heartbeat.”
- Dr. Ross Nieuwoudt (RDC Co‑Chair) – “Why should there even be another strike day? Wes, sit down now and give us something worth negotiating.”
- Dr. Melissa Ryan (continuation) – “There’s a single day where I’ll claim we’re still in limbo; if the government acts, that day can disappear. We don’t want to keep fighting forever.”
The co‑chairs’ statements stress that the doctors have no plans to keep striking “forever,” but they also call out the government’s absence of a solid offer.
What the NHS Leaders Say
Layla McCay, NHS Confederation Director of Policy told BBC Breakfast that while resident doctors do deserve a pay bump, the main issue now is about working conditions. “The government’s focus is on these non‑pay factors,” she said, “and we’re all hoping the BMA sits down to find a solution before anything more blows up.”
Bottom Line
- The strike is almost over, but residents are reminding the government that the door stays open.
- Doctors want a credible offer, not more “empty promises.”
- Hospital leaders and policy heads hope this call to negotiate will end the industrial spree.
And let’s be honest—nobody’s exactly thrilled about a doctor strike, but the discussion is moving in the right direction. Let’s hope the talks settle quickly so the NHS can get back to normal and the residents can finally stop putting their hands off the emergency tables.
