The resident doctors strike is set to cause major disruption across England after the British Medical Association (BMA) announced a fresh five-day walkout just days before Christmas. Resident doctors—previously known as junior doctors—will leave their posts from 17 December in what will be their 14th strike since March 2023.
The BMA said the decision followed months of stalled negotiations, with the government failing to present what it considered a credible offer. NHS leaders called the timing “inflamatory”, warning the winter period already stretches hospital capacity to its limit.
Why the Resident Doctors Strike Is Happening
Resident doctors make up nearly half of England’s medical workforce, covering a wide range of roles from newly qualified doctors to those with up to ten years of experience. During the strike, they will walk out of both routine and emergency care, leaving senior doctors to cover shifts.
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, said hospitals rely on every available staff member in the run-up to Christmas. He described the walkout as “unfair to patients and to other NHS staff” and urged both sides to return to the negotiating table.
Talks between the government and the BMA collapsed last month. Ministers offered improvements such as creating more training posts and reducing exam-related costs, but the union said any deal must include meaningful pay restoration.
Pay Dispute at the Centre of the Resident Doctors Strike
Health Secretary Wes Streeting says he will not reopen discussions on pay, pointing out that resident doctors have received nearly a 30% pay rise over three years. The BMA argues these increases do not compensate for over a decade of wage erosion—claiming real-terms pay remains 20% lower than in 2008 after inflation.
Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said the union had “no choice” but to escalate action. However, he added the strikes could still be avoided if the government agreed to “gradually raise pay and introduce basic job-security reforms”.
With the BMA’s strike mandate due to expire in early January, the union has confirmed it will hold another ballot to continue industrial action into 2025 if necessary.
As hospitals brace for the impact, the resident doctors strike underscores the deep and ongoing tensions within the NHS — tensions that show no signs of easing without breakthrough pay talks.
