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NHS Strike: Government Makes Play to Halt Christmas Walkout
11 Dec
Summary
- Doctors may cancel upcoming strike action after a government offer.
- The offer addresses training posts and covers mandatory exam fees.
- The BMA will ballot members, but has not yet postponed the strike.
A potential Christmas strike by NHS resident doctors is being reconsidered after the Government presented a last-ditch offer aimed at resolving the jobs crisis. The British Medical Association is now balloting its members on whether to accept these proposals, which include increasing specialty training posts by 4,000 over three years and funding mandatory examination fees.
Despite this development, the BMA has not yet postponed the planned December strike, leading to criticism from Health Secretary Wes Streeting. He expressed astonishment at the BMA's leadership for not agreeing to reschedule the strikes for January, emphasizing the damaging impact on patient care during the busy Christmas period.
Dr. Jack Fletcher of the BMA acknowledged the offer as a step forward in addressing training numbers but noted it does not tackle pay restoration. The BMA is seeking a 26% pay increase. Resident doctors will vote on the offer, with a potential referendum to follow if members deem it sufficient to end the dispute.
