Here’s a rewritten version of the article, aiming for 100% uniqueness while preserving all verifiable facts:
Resident Doctor Pay and Strike Action: A Closer Look
While concerns about pay, working conditions, and other factors are acknowledged, the paramount consideration remains patient safety.
Resident Doctor Remuneration
Projections indicate that the average full-time basic salary for a resident doctor is expected to reach approximately £54,300 in the 2025-26 period. this figure excludes overtime, and many doctors will earn considerably more, with the highest basic pay on the scale reaching £73,992.
The current average starting salary for a full-time resident doctor stands at around £38,800. This represents a notable increase of nearly £9,500 from the approximately £29,380 earned in 2022/2023.
Recent Salary Adjustments
Over the past three years, resident doctors have seen their pay increase by a total of 28.9%. For the second consecutive year, resident doctors have received the most substantial pay rise within the public sector, with a 5.4% increase this year. This marks two consecutive years of pay increases that have outpaced inflation.
Strike Vote Participation
It is indeed accurate that a majority of resident doctors did not vote in favor of strike action. Given a turnout of 55.3%, less than half of the resident doctors represented by the BMA voted in favor of striking, with the figure standing at 49.78%. Out of the 77,000 resident doctors employed in NHS hospitals and community health services, approximately one-third cast a vote in support of strike action.
Future Strike Possibilities
The BMA currently holds a six-month mandate,granting them the legal authority to announce further strikes until January 6,2026. The Secretary of State has expressed a commitment to collaborating with the BMA to enhance the working lives of resident doctors and bring an end to strike action.
Government Efforts to Prevent Strikes
Following the provision of the highest pay increases across the public sector for two consecutive years, the Secretary of state has stated that further movement on resident doctor pay is not possible.
In the preceding week, the Secretary of State and the BMA engaged in constructive discussions. During these talks, the BMA had the possibility to collaborate with the Department of Health on a range of proposals designed to significantly improve resident doctors’ working conditions. These proposals included the creation of additional roles to address career progression bottlenecks, measures to mitigate the costs associated with mandatory exams and equipment, and initiatives aimed at reducing the additional burden imposed by rotations. Regrettably, the BMA opted to withdraw from further discussions and proceed with strike action. The current priority is to safeguard patient safety during the period of industrial action.
Next Steps
With NHS waiting lists at their lowest in two years, patient satisfaction with GPs on the rise, and 4.6 million appointments delivered in the past year, the NHS is undergoing a period of improvement.This progress, however, is being jeopardized by the BMA’s actions.
The government remains committed to working collaboratively with the BMA to improve the working conditions for resident doctors. By declining this opportunity, the BMA risks causing unnecessary disruption to patients, placing additional strain on their NHS colleagues, and foregoing the chance to enhance their own working environments. The focus will now shift to preventing harm to patients and supporting NHS staff during this period.
