NHS Resident Doctors Threaten 15th Strike Since 2023 Over Pay and Conditions
Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, are threatening to strike for six days starting April 7, 2026, following Easter. This would mark the 15th walkout since 2023, as tensions over NHS pay, hours, and job security continue to escalate. The British Medical Association (BMA) has cited ongoing pay erosion and employment concerns as key drivers of the dispute.
Historical Context of Doctors' Strikes
The current wave of strikes has deep roots in past conflicts. In January 2016, the first all-out doctors' strike since 1975 occurred after then-Conservative health secretary Jeremy Hunt proposed a new contract that would scrap standard overtime rates while increasing basic pay. This led to further walkouts that year, with a revised contract eventually imposed to end the dispute.
After a seven-year lull, strike action resumed in 2023 under Rishi Sunak's government. Doctors carried out strikes every month for five months from March, arguing that their real-terms pay had fallen by 20-30% since 2008. The BMA demanded "full pay restoration" to address this decline.
Recent Escalations and Government Responses
In January 2024, doctors staged the longest strike in NHS history at the time—six days—over pay erosion, followed by another in February. After Sunak called a general election, the BMA announced another full six-day walkout in June and July 2024. Talks collapsed, with the BMA claiming Sunak had "made no credible offer" to restore lost pay.
Following Labour's election win in July 2024, the new government offered a 22% pay rise over two years, which junior doctors accepted two months later, temporarily ending the strikes. During this period, junior doctors were renamed "resident doctors."
Ongoing Tensions and Future Threats
The respite was short-lived, as tensions flared again in 2025 over pay restoration, bottlenecks in specialty training posts, and employment insecurity for early-career doctors. This led to three new rounds of strikes in July, November, and December 2025.
Now, in 2026, resident doctors are threatening another six-day strike. Sir Keir Starmer has accused the BMA of rejecting a "historic deal" that would have delivered an additional 3.5% above-inflation pay rise this year, bringing the total pay rise since 2023 to 25.5%. However, the BMA argues that global events, such as the Iran war and rising living costs, are causing further pay erosion and driving doctors to leave the UK for work elsewhere.
The dispute highlights broader issues within the NHS, including workforce retention and funding challenges, as doctors continue to advocate for better compensation and working conditions.
