Doctors say 5-day walkout will go ahead even if heatwave alerts issued
‘Highly dangerous’ doctor strike will happen even in heatwave
- Junior doctors in England, represented by the British Medical Association (BMA), are set to begin a five-day strike from 25 July over a pay dispute.
- The BMA has confirmed the industrial action will proceed even if health alerts are issued due to high temperatures, though a system for voluntary return for safety concerns is in place.
- The BMA's new leader insists their "non-negotiable" demand is for a 29 per cent pay restoration, aiming to recover real-terms losses since 2008.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that further pay increases are "unaffordable" and unfair, as junior doctors have already received a 28.9 per cent pay award this year.
- A recent Ipsos poll indicates a significant drop in public support for the strike, with only 26 per cent now backing the action compared to 52 per cent last summer.