Streeting hits out at ‘reckless’ doctors as last-ditch talks to avoid five-day strike fail
Junior doctors’ strike to go ahead after government talks fail
- Resident doctors' strikes are set to proceed for five days from Friday at 7am after last-ditch talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and Health Secretary Wes Streeting failed.
- The BMA confirmed the industrial action, stating that Mr Streeting's offers "did not go far enough to warrant calling off strikes," with the dispute primarily centred on pay restoration.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticised the BMA's decision as "reckless" and "unjustified," asserting that the government cannot offer further pay increases following a 28.9 per cent rise over the last three years.
- The BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs highlighted that while non-pay issues were discussed, the core issue remains pay, which they say has eroded by over a fifth since 2008.
- NHS leaders expressed concern over the "crushing blow" to patients and the NHS, urging resident doctors to minimise harm by notifying trusts of their strike plans.