Overview
- Thousands of resident doctors walked out from 7am on 14 November until 7am on 19 November in the 13th national action since March 2023.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting ruled out further pay movement after a cited 28.9% rise in recent years and warned the walkout could cost nearly a quarter of a billion pounds.
- NHS Confederation and NHS Providers said ongoing strike costs may lead to fewer tests, appointments and operations and could trigger reductions in frontline staff.
- NHS England instructed trusts to protect emergency and maternity care and aim to keep at least 95% of elective activity, as the BMA refused derogations unless planned work is cancelled and other cover is incentivised.
- Patients were told to attend appointments unless contacted and to use 999 for emergencies or NHS 111 for urgent needs, with one trust reporting it was running about 99% of operations and 97% of outpatients on day one.