NHS Warning: Resident Doctors Announce Five-Day Strike in November Over Pay Dispute
Resident doctors in England have announced their 13th strike since 2023, scheduling a five-day walkout set to begin at 7 a.m. on November 14 and end on November 19.
This decision comes after talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, broke down. The doctors are demanding a better deal, including a 29% pay restoration and improvements to career progression and working conditions.
Impact on Patients
Hospital leaders warn that this five-day strike is “the last thing the NHS needs.” They predict it will:
- Make it harder to deal with the expected increase in winter viruses.
- Seriously delay efforts to tackle the 7.4 million waiting list backlog, pushing patient appointments back by weeks or even months.
Both sides blame the other for the deadlock. The BMA accuses the Health Secretary of offering only “vague promises,” while the Health Secretary insists the doctors’ demands are “preposterous” and that they are indulging in “reckless posturing” that will hurt patients.
Despite the back-and-forth, the strike confirms that the pay and conditions dispute in the NHS remains unresolved, threatening major disruption just as the system prepares for the challenging winter season.
