When is the doctor strike and why is the BMA taking action again?

The medics, who were formerly known as junior doctors, are taking action over pay and began the walkout at 7am after rejecting a package from Wes Streeting.

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The health secretary has blasted the strike as "completely unnecessary" and described the union as “cartel-like” during a heated phone-in on LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast.

Here is what it all means.

When is the strike?

The strike will be for five days from Friday, November 14, and will last until 7am on Wednesday.

The British Medical Association (BMA) most recently went on strike in July and also held strikes 11 times in 15 months between March 2023 and June 2024.

Why is the union striking?

The BMA has called on its members to walk out of both emergency and non-urgent care, as part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Resident doctors rejected an improved pay offer, of 29 per cent, from Mr Streeting without members being consulted, to the irritation of the health secretary.

Dr Emma Runswick, of the BMA, told Nick Ferrari on LBC: "As we're further and further away from the pandemic, people have forgotten the experiences that we as a profession and as an NHS have gone through and the ground has shifted, we understand that, we were expecting that, but we don't think it's right.

"We think that most of the public, when told the real figures that doctors are still starting on £17.50 an hour, will understand that we are not worth less than we were in 2008, we are not worth less than we were even in the pandemic."

What will this mean for patients?

The NHS has said it is focused on:

• Maintaining emergency care, including maternity services,
• Maintaining flow, ensuring appropriate and efficient discharge and length of stay,
• Maintaining elective care to the fullest extent possible – with at least 95 per cent of elective activity continuing compared with what would otherwise have been expected,
• Maintaining priority treatments, including urgent elective surgery and cancer care,

A statement read: “Reducing volumes of bookings, rescheduling appointments and other activity should only happen in exceptional circumstances to safeguard patient safety.

“This should be undertaken in consultation with your NHS England regional chief operating officer.”

What has the health secretary said in response?

Mr Streeting is fuming at the union’s decision and accused doctors of "holding patients to ransom" and setting the NHS back.

He said: "To be out on strike setting back the NHS because you don't think we're going fast enough and because the leadership of your union are not honest enough. That some of this change takes time is extremely irresponsible.”

A doctor phoned into LBC to say he did not want to be on strike, but this was also rebutted by Mr Streeting. He added: "And I'm sorry, but when you say I don't want to be out on strike today. Yes, you do, because you have made that choice."

"On pay, on specialty training places, on improvements to conditions, I have been working to address every single one of those issues.

"These are not the conditions in which people go out on strike. Strike should be a last resort.”

Are any more strikes planned?

The BMA has not said if it plans further action beyond this week.