Overview

• Up to 50,000 resident doctors began the strike at 7am on July 25 in their twelfth walkout since March 2023.
• The British Medical Association is demanding a 29% pay increase to restore salaries eroded by over 20% in real terms since 2008.
• Ministers have awarded 22% for 2023-25 and 5.4% for 2025-26, totaling 28.9%, and have refused to reopen negotiations.
• NHS England’s contingency plans have led to about 500 appointments being postponed while 96% of scheduled work runs as planned.
• The union placed newspaper adverts highlighting that newly qualified doctors earn £18.62 per hour compared with over £24 for their non-medical assistants.