Resident doctors strike cancelled just hours before it was due to begin
Resident doctors have cancelled their four-day strike (Getty)
Resident doctors in England have called off their planned four-day strike, which was scheduled to begin on Monday morning, after the government presented a new offer.
The British Medical Association (BMA) confirmed on Saturday that a last-minute proposal had been received, prompting the decision to avert the 16th round of industrial action since 2023.
Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, expressed frustration at the timing but stated that the union would always negotiate in good faith and strikes are a last resort.
The new offer, which will now be put to union members for a referendum, reportedly includes standard 2016 resident doctor contract terms for all locally employed doctors and an average 6.6% pay uplift to be fully implemented by April 2027.
Health Secretary James Murray welcomed the decision, noting that the country cannot afford to increase the pay offer further, following a 28.9% pay rise for resident doctors over the last three years.
