Health secretary urges no strikes as ballot of UK junior doctors begins
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, has urged doctors to vote against industrial action as the British Medical Association (BMA) ballots resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, for strike action that could last for six months.
Resident doctors say their pay has declined by 23% in real terms since 2008. If they choose to go on strike, walkouts could begin in July and potentially last until January 2026.
The government accepted salary recommendations from pay review bodies earlier this month, resulting in an average 5.4% rise for resident doctors.
Source: The Guardian, 29 May 2025