Overview
- The British Medical Association says resident doctors will walk out from 7am on 14 November to 7am on 19 November across England.
- Union leaders cite years of real-terms pay erosion and a shortage of posts for newly trained doctors, noting they proposed a phased £1-an-hour rise for new starters.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the action as unreasonable, pointing to a 28.9% pay increase over three years and plans to expand specialty training roles, with the department citing around 1,000 extra training places and prioritising UK graduates.
- NHS Providers and the NHS Confederation warn the five-day walkout will significantly disrupt care as winter pressures build, with UKHSA reporting rising flu activity, particularly among children.
- If it goes ahead, this will be the 13th round of resident-doctor industrial action since March 2023, and trusts say they are preparing to minimise disruption for patients.