Resident doctors in England strike over 26% pay demand

LONDON

Thousands of resident doctors in England walked out Friday as a long-running pay dispute with the government escalates into a new phase of industrial action.

The strike, the 13th since March 2023, is set to continue until Tuesday. NHS leaders have warned that the disruption could reduce frontline staffing and lead to further cuts to appointments and operations.

Ministers have resisted calls for a new pay offer, with the health secretary declining to meet demands for a substantial increase. The British Medical Association says resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, require a 26% pay rise to compensate for earnings eroded by inflation.

The union argued that years of below-inflation settlements have left staff undervalued and overstretched, while the government maintains that current pay levels are fair and further increases would be unaffordable.