NHS Resident Doctors (BMA) Strike Calendar

A call was made for the governing body in Scotland to resume negotiations and present an offer acceptable to the union representing resident doctors.

If this does not occur, resident doctors are scheduled to begin strike action starting at 7am on Tuesday, January 13th, and concluding at 7am on Saturday, January 17th.

The union's position is a request for the government to fulfill prior promises regarding an offer that would meaningfully address the decline in resident doctors' pay experienced since 2008.

It is suggested the current situation could have been avoided had commitments regarding pay restoration been upheld.

The resident doctors remain willing to proceed with a deal if the previously struck agreement is honored completely.

Accepting the discarding of a good-faith agreement is seen as potentially encouraging further broken commitments on matters such as contracts and training opportunities.

The outcome is presented as significant not only for the doctors but also for patients and the long-term viability of the entire health service in Scotland.

Planned strikes for the current week will proceed, with ongoing close contact maintained with NHS England to ensure patient safety is upheld during the industrial action.

Discussions with the Department of Health regarding a path forward remain open.

The response from members indicated dissatisfaction with the government's offer, suggesting it was inadequate to resolve the industrial action.

Concerns were raised that the offer lacked provisions for new jobs and failed to address the restoration of pay.

It was stated that the current week's strike action remains avoidable if a credible offer addresses the jobs crisis and ongoing real-terms pay cuts projected for 2026.

A commitment remains to patient safety, consistent with previous strike periods, and hospital trusts are urged to maintain planning for safe staffing.

Close communication will continue with NHS England throughout the strikes to handle any safety concerns that emerge.

An online survey will be conducted to gauge the views of members regarding an offer, which will conclude on December 15th.

If a majority of doctors deem the offer adequate to postpone industrial action, scheduled strikes for the current month will be cancelled.

Subsequently, the resident doctors committee would initiate a formal referendum to determine acceptance of the proposed terms.

The latest offer reportedly stemmed from necessary industrial action, which was critical for progress.

This offer resulted from the commitment of numerous resident doctors advocating for their profession's future.

The action led to an increase in training job offers and established a plan for prioritizing UK graduates and long-term NHS workers.

If members favor accepting the terms, the organization might proceed toward resolving the dispute with the governing body.

Concerns remain that the offer does not address the overall doctor numbers in England or restore doctor pay, which is within the government's authority.

Resident doctors in England are scheduled to strike again this month, with a call for the Government to halt the action by restarting discussions regarding employment and compensation.

The planned industrial action involves full walk-outs by resident doctors, scheduled to commence at 7am on December 17th and concluding at 7am on December 22nd.

The decision to strike follows a lack of a viable strategy from the Government to resolve concerns about job security and the decline in the real value of doctors' pay.

It has been indicated that addressing pay increases over several years and implementing straightforward solutions for doctor job security are achievable goals for the governing body.

The continuation of the strikes is presented as a necessary measure due to the ongoing lack of progress on the profession's key issues.

Resident doctors in Scotland are set to begin a five-week ballot leading up to Christmas to vote on potential strike action concerning pay.

If the vote is affirmative, these doctors might engage in their first strike action in Scotland early next year.

The ballot commences on Friday, November 14th, which coincides with the first scheduled strike day for resident doctors in England regarding pay restoration.

Scotland previously avoided such strikes in 2023 after the Scottish Government committed to making tangible advancement toward pay restoration.

However, formal dispute proceedings were initiated three weeks ago by resident doctors claiming the government has failed to uphold this promise.

The doctors feel that progress made in pay restoration over the past two years is being disregarded.

There is an expressed readiness to negotiate, but also a determination to safeguard the agreement reached in good faith with the Scottish Government in 2023.

Resident doctors in England are set to strike next month, following the Government’s failure to agree a credible plan for jobs and pay restoration. The BMA resident doctors committee England has announced doctors will stage full walk-out action from 7am on 14 November, while urging health secretary Wes Streeting to avert the action by returning to the negotiating table. The announcement comes after resident doctors leaders met with the health secretary on 13 October to find a way forward on addressing pay erosion and job shortages. RDC had hoped the dialogue would see the Government recognise doctors’ concerns by providing a mandate for a multi-year pay deal or by agreeing to targeted in-year improvements to resident doctors’ pay. In confirming the latest strike dates, RDC chair Jack Fletcher (pictured above) lamented the need for further industrial action, while stressing that the situation was ‘disappointing but not unredeemable’, and urging Mr Streeting to resume talks in good faith.

The BMA has called on the Government to ‘step up’, as resident doctors vote to back strike action over unemployment and training place shortages.

The vote, which saw 97 per cent of doctors endorse the option of striking, means that resident doctors in England now have a separate mandate for industrial action alongside that secured in the fight over pay restoration. The ballot, which had a turnout of 65 per cent, comes following a recent survey of more than 4,000 resident doctors by the BMA which found that 34 per cent said they had no substantive employment or regular work from August this year.

They said: ‘Doctors have spoken and spoken clearly: they won’t accept that they are worth a fifth less than they were in 2008. Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong.