Doctors across England are poised to undertake a five-day industrial action this week, commencing at 7am on Friday, November 14, and continuing until 7am on Wednesday, November 19. This prolonged walkout by resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, stems from an ongoing and contentious dispute over jobs and pay, with the British Medical Association (BMA) asserting that the strike will proceed unless Health Secretary Wes Streeting re-engages in negotiations.

The BMA has articulated its profound concerns regarding the employment prospects for doctors, highlighting that a significant number of second-year doctors in England are struggling to secure jobs. This situation leads to their valuable skills being underutilized while patient waiting lists grow and hospital shifts remain unfilled. The BMA revealed that their negotiations with the Government aimed for a deal that would gradually reverse pay cuts over several years, proposing an increase of just a pound an hour for newly trained doctors over the next four years. Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, expressed disappointment, stating that the Government's '11th hour letter' contained only 'vague promises' regarding future job and training changes, demonstrating a lack of understanding of the immediate crisis and a genuine commitment to resolve it.

Conversely, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has branded the BMA's decision as “preposterous,” “unreasonable and unnecessary,” and accused the association of “blocking a better deal for doctors.” He emphasized that resident doctors have recently received a 28.9% pay rise and that the Government is unable to offer further pay increases this year. Streeting further stated that by striking, the BMA is walking away from an offer to enhance working conditions and create more specialty training roles, warning that their