Doctors vote in favour of continuing industrial action

Resident doctors in England have voted to continue industrial action for another six months as part of their ongoing row over pay and jobs.

Some 53% eligible members took part in a ballot to continue industrial action, with 93% voting yes, the British Medical Association (BMA) said.

The union urged the Government to act to prevent further strikes.

Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said: “None of this needs to mean more strikes.

“In recent weeks, the Government has shown an improved approach in tone compared with the name-calling we saw late last year.

“A deal is there to be done: a new jobs package and an offer raising pay fairly over several years can be worked out through good will on both sides, in the interests of patients, staff and the whole NHS.

“And now that the mandate for strike action is confirmed for six months, the Government has nowhere to run and no means of running out the clock.

“With no choice but to get a deal, we hope that means a responsible approach from the health secretary and a timely settlement with no further need for strikes.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has previously said that the Government cannot go any further on pay.

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “On top of a 28.9% pay rise over the last three years, this Government is continuing to work with the BMA to address the issues resident doctors face in their careers, including fast-tracking legislation to prioritise home grown medical graduates for specialty training places.

“The Government has been in intensive and constructive discussions with the BMA resident doctors committee since the start of the new year to try and bring an end to the damaging cycle of strikes and avoid further unnecessary disruption for patients and NHS staff.

“We hope that these talks result in an agreement that works for everyone, so that there is not any more strike action by resident doctors in 2026.”

Hospital leaders have previously called for the union and the Government to enter talks via external mediators to try and resolve the conflict.

Resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, have staged 14 strikes since 2023.

Commenting, Matthew Taylor, interim chief executive of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, said: “NHS leaders will be bitterly disappointed that resident doctors have voted to continue with industrial action, especially given the huge impact that strikes have had on patients and the health service’s performance and finances.

“Further strikes will pile yet more unplanned costs on NHS organisations, forcing health leaders to make difficult choices over reducing staff and patient services to try to balance their books.

“We cannot let these strikes roll through 2026, using up yet more scarce resources and impeding the progress the NHS needs to make in reducing waiting lists.

“Health leaders need to see the Government and BMA resume talks – through mediation if needed – to find a long-term solution to this dispute.”