Senior NHS doctors to strike over pay on 25–26 Nov

Senior doctors in England are set to strike for two days in November over pay and workload concerns, the British Medical Association (BMA) has announced ^[1]. The walkout, scheduled for 25 and 26 November, follows a vote by BMA members in July in favour of industrial action ^[2]. The consultants committee said the government has ignored their concerns about wellbeing and unsustainable workloads.

The BMA insists the strike can be avoided if Health Secretary Yvette Cooper agrees to formal negotiations on pay and working conditions ^[2]. Emergency services will remain operational during the strike, mirroring staffing levels on Christmas Day.

The government has recommended a 2.4% pay rise for doctors in the 2027/28 financial year, but the BMA argues this falls short amid rising inflation and increasing pressure on the NHS ^[2]. Consultants’ pay has fallen in real terms by a quarter over the past 17 years, the union says, outpacing the decline across the wider economy.

Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, who co-chair the BMA’s consultants committee, emphasized that consultants play a critical role in delivering frontline, life-saving care, shaping health services, training future medical staff, and ensuring patients receive optimal treatment ^[2]. They accused the government of neglecting consultant wellbeing and workload, and of undermining quality care by prioritizing targets over clinical excellence, contributing to widespread burnout.

The dispute has been ongoing for over a year, with the BMA stating that ministers have repeatedly delayed addressing their proposals for practical solutions despite repeated engagement ^[2]. The union stressed that striking is not taken lightly, but is a last resort after years of dialogue.

The last strike by consultants in England was in 2023, and the current action marks a significant escalation in the ongoing pay and conditions row ^[2]. The government has four weeks to respond before the strikes proceed. The story was first reported by Sky News and The Independent.