Resident Doctors in England Announce Six-Day Strike in April Amid Pay Dispute

Resident doctors across England are set to launch their 15th strike since March 2023, with a nearly week-long walkout scheduled from 7am on April 7 until 6:59am on April 13, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced. The planned industrial action comes as tensions escalate over pay and job opportunities within the National Health Service (NHS).

The strike, called in protest over pay erosion since 2008 and increasing competition for specialty training posts, follows resident doctors’ overwhelming rejection of the latest government offer. According to the BMA, 83 percent of voting members opposed the proposal, which included 4,000 additional specialty training positions repurposed from existing roles and certain financial supports, but did not feature a pay rise.

BMA Resident Doctors Committee chairman Jack Fletcher criticized the government for what he described as last-minute changes to the deal and warned that removing promised job posts due to industrial action would harm patient care. He called for negotiations to resume with the aim of achieving a sustainable offer that could call off the strike.

The row has drawn strong political reactions. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the rejection of the latest pay deal as "reckless" and set a 48-hour deadline for the BMA to cancel industrial action, warning that thousands of new NHS jobs on offer could be withdrawn if the strike proceeds. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has stated that the government seeks to maintain pre-planned care during strikes, aiming to minimize disruption for patients.

As of now, the April strike is set to proceed. Talks between the BMA and the government were expected later on Monday, with both sides expressing interest in reaching a breakthrough. No agreement had been reached at the time of publication, leaving the prospect of further NHS disruption unresolved.