Wes Streeting brands doctors' Christmas walkout 'irresponsible' as he warns patients will be put at risk

Resident doctors in England will go on strike for five consecutive days in the run-up to Christmas, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced earlier this week.

The walkout will take place from 7am on December 17 until December 22.

The Health Secretary previously accused the BMA have trying to “wreck Christmas."

Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Mr Streeting slammed the plans to walk out, claiming they will put patients at risk.

Read more: Wes Streeting hits out at BMA for 'misleading' claims amid GP access row

“I am hoping that hope will triumph over experience with the BMA,” he told Nick.

“The chair of the Resident Doctors Committee has said that there is a window to try and call off strike action.

“I'm going to take him at his word at that and see if we can get to that position.”

He added: “I don't want to sound catastrophic about it, but that's my fear always is, are people going to be at risk of harm as a result of strike action?

“There is a different order of risk this time around.

“I'm not going to sugarcoat that and I'm not going to pretend to your listeners that this would not cause significant risk and disruption to patients and that's not acceptable as far as I'm concerned.”

Announcing the strikes, Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said: “With the Government failing to put forward a credible plan to fix the jobs crisis for resident doctors at the same time as pushing a real terms pay cut for them, we have no choice but to announce more strike dates.

“However, these do not need to go ahead. Gradually raising pay over a few years and some common-sense fixes to the job security of our doctors are well within the reach of this Government.

“It would ensure both the long-term strength of our healthcare workforce and spare the country the indignity of seeing unemployed doctors at a time when patients are queuing up to even see a GP.

“This month we’ve seen the full farcical extent of the jobs crisis, with second-year doctors applying for training posts being asked to provide evidence of experience well beyond what would have previously been asked of them.

“It is precisely this sort of situation which is driving doctors away from jobs and to the picket line. But it is not too late for Government to get a grip on the situation.”

Mr Streeting has condemned the resident doctors’ strike announcement as a “cynical attempt to wreck Christmas”.

Responding to the BMA's announcement, the Health Secretary said: “The BMA have clearly chosen to strike when it will cause maximum disruption, causing untold anxiety.

“Patients and NHS staff deserve better than this cynical attempt to wreck Christmas.

“After a 28.9% pay rise, the Government offered to create more jobs and put money back in resident doctors’ pockets. The BMA rejected it out of hand, refused to put the offer to its members, blocking a better deal for doctors.

“Now, without a single conversation with the Government, they’re threatening more strikes at the busiest time of the year.”

Previous resident doctor strikes took place from July 25 to 30 and November 14 to 19.

Last month’s industrial action was the 13th strike since March 2023, while the summer walkout was estimated to have cost the health service £300 million.

Last week, the BMA announced it would be balloting its resident doctor members on extending its mandate for strike action, which runs out in January.

If the vote is successful, the mandate would extend to August 2026.

The ballot will run from December 8 until February 2.

Speaking to LBC, Mr Streeting said he hopes to end corridor care by the next general election.

"We can't have people being treated on trolleys in corridors," he told Nick.

"And in fact, I've seen some reports of... things like Costa coffee outlets in the reception area being used to hold patients.

"And look, unless someone's hardwiring me into the hot chocolate machine, I do not think that is acceptable."