Resident Doctors in UK to Strike Next Week After Losing Jobs Package

Resident doctors in England are set to begin a six-day strike from April 7, shortly after the Easter bank holiday weekend, marking their 15th industrial action since 2023.

The planned walkout comes after a deadline set by Prime Minister Keir Starmer passed without an agreement being reached.

Earlier this week, Starmer warned that the government would withdraw its offer—including thousands of NHS job opportunities, additional training placements, and proposed pay reforms—if the strike was not called off within 48 hours.

With no resolution achieved, the doctors—previously known as junior doctors—have confirmed they will proceed with the strike as scheduled.

The British Medical Association’s (BMA) resident doctors’ committee has maintained the government’s pay rise offer does not go far enough to deal with the cost of living.

Sir Keir has pointed out the 3.5% proposal is above inflation and would take their total raise over three years to 35%.

Writing in The Times earlier this week, he said strikes would be “reckless” and damage the NHS.

But the committee’s chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, said the government’s approach was “extremely disappointing”.

Using the offer of more training places as a “pawn” in negotiations was “simply wrong”, he said.

“We have consistently maintained that we are willing to postpone industrial action should a genuinely credible offer be provided. This remains the case now, up to, and throughout any period of industrial action,” he added.

A Department of Health and Care spokesperson maintained the deal on offer was “generous”.

“Because the BMA resident doctor committee has not agreed to call off these strikes and put an offer to members, we will now not be able to deliver the 1,000 extra training places which the BMA asked for,” they said.

“These posts would have gone live this month, but as systems now need to prepare for strikes and more uncertainty, it simply won’t be operationally or financially possible to launch these posts in April in time to recruit for this year.

“This won’t impact the overall number of resident doctors, and the NHS will be there for patients when they need it.”

They said attention must now turn towards protecting patients by minimising disruption during the walkout.

It will be the 15th round of strikes by resident doctors in England since 2023.