Wes Streeting is set to resume discussions with medical professionals this week in an effort to prevent further NHS strikes. The Health Secretary will return to negotiations in an escalating dispute with representatives of the British Medical Association, who recently led resident doctors in a five-day strike just before the holiday season. The union is advocating for improved pay and increased training opportunities for young doctors to eliminate bottlenecks that hinder some from securing NHS positions.
Streeting emphasized the importance of avoiding ongoing industrial action, stating that it is not beneficial for resident doctors, the government, patients, or other healthcare staff to disrupt the NHS with strikes. While acknowledging the absence of strike action for at least six weeks, he noted that the BMA is currently balloting for a potential future strike mandate.
The Secretary of State expressed a commitment to continuous dialogue with the BMA to seek a resolution. Resident doctors, including those up to the consultant level, have been engaged in a heated exchange of words with Streeting. Meetings between his team and the BMA’s Resident Doctors Committee chair are scheduled for this week.
The BMA is calling for a 26% pay increase over the coming years, citing a decline in real terms salaries since 2008. While acknowledging recent pay rises for resident doctors, particularly under Labour’s administration, the current dispute centers on a 5.4% pay raise for 2025/26 that was rejected in a pre-Christmas ballot.
Streeting’s proposal to create more NHS training positions for doctors was turned down in the previous vote, with members expressing concerns over his confrontational approach towards the BMA leadership. The ongoing disagreement has led to accusations from both sides, with Streeting criticizing the union’s salary demands and the BMA challenging his portrayal of the flu surge’s severity.
Speaking on the need to bridge the pay gap, Streeting acknowledged the challenges in aligning BMA expectations with government affordability. His efforts to resolve the dispute come after the NHS in England reported that 95% of pre-planned care was maintained during the last strike period, emphasizing the financial and operational costs of ongoing industrial action.
Dr. Jack Fletcher of the BMA’s resident doctors committee welcomed Streeting’s intention to resume discussions, emphasizing the importance of resolving the conflict for the benefit of doctors and patients. He stressed the necessity for the government to propose effective solutions to the jobs crisis and ensure fair compensation for medical professionals, urging collaborative efforts to prevent future strikes.