Resident physicians in England announced dates for a vote on new strikes and industrial actions over pay.
The British Medical Association resident doctor committee announced that after three weeks of warning the government over the lack of a timely and reasonable pay offer, they have decided to put it to a vote among their members.
The Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration, which annually advises the Government on doctors’ salaries, has been late in publishing their recommendations for 2025-26. In order to resolve the pay dispute with the BMA, the government committed that DDRB recommendations would be published before the beginning of the new financial year on 6 April.
The strike ballot for resident doctors, formerly junior physicians, in England opens on 27 May and ends on 7 July.
The co-chairs, Dr Melissa Ryan, and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said in a press release: “Today, we met [health secretary] Wes Streeting, and made it clear that he only had to pledge to negotiate an equitable deal that would move us towards pay restoration by the year 2027 in accordance with BMA policy. He could not, unfortunately, make this promise.
“Resident physicians will not be ignored.” We will fight for the NHS, for patients and for the deal made last year: restoring our pay to 2008 levels.
The BMA accepted‘s 22.3% wage settlement in September last year, after 66% junior doctors voted for the deal. This ended a dispute of two years that included 44 days of strikes, resulting from more than 10 years of real-term wage cuts.
Ryan and Nieuwoudt added: “No doctor is worth less today than they were 17 year ago. That is exactly what doctors voting ‘yes’ to industrial action will tell the government. We do not want to have to keep fighting for our worth over and over. Instead, we’d rather focus on our careers and care for our patients.
“But the success of our previous actions shows that doctors are ready to take action if this is what must be done. The government doesn’t have to do what its predecessors did. Instead, it can act responsibly and say that it will put us back on track to full pay restoration. We don’t need a picket-line if they commit to this.”
Danny Mortimer is the chief executive officer of NHS Employers. He said that “the government has taken steps to speed up pay review decisions for annual pay awards, and has also acted to improve employment and union rights throughout the economy.” The government is developing a comprehensive strategy for the NHS and its people. Despite the economic and financial challenges facing the public sector, the finances are also under pressure.
In this context, NHS organizations will be alarmed at the BMA’s plans to ballot the results of the DDRB. Health leaders will urge all unions, and the BMA in particular, to prioritize dialogue with the government over industrial action. This dialogue must reflect the real concerns of NHS staff, as well as the opportunities that lie ahead for us all to work together in improving the health of our nation.
We have contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for a comment.
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