Junior Doctors Begin Five-Day Strike Over Pay Dispute in England

Thousands of junior doctors across England have launched a five-day strike, the latest in a long-running dispute with the government over pay and working conditions.

Organised by the British Medical Association (BMA), the walkout began on Thursday and is expected to cause significant disruption across NHS services, particularly in hospitals where junior doctors make up a large portion of the medical workforce. Despite the industrial action, NHS England insists that emergency care will remain available and high-priority operations will still go ahead.

The strike comes as junior doctors continue to push for a full pay restoration to levels before 2008, claiming that their real-term wages have fallen by over 25% in the past 15 years. The government recently offered a 5.4% pay rise for the current financial year, following a 22% increase over the previous two years. However, the BMA argues that this still falls short of what is needed to reverse years of underpayment and retain doctors within the NHS.

Dr Trevor Smith, South West regional medical director for NHS England, acknowledged the strain the strike will place on healthcare services and apologised to patients. He stressed, however, that the NHS remains open for urgent care and advised patients to attend appointments unless contacted otherwise.

In a letter addressed to striking doctors, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he “deeply regretted” the industrial action and insisted the government was committed to improving doctors’ working lives. He criticised the timing of the strike, suggesting it followed a nearly 29% pay increase and should have been avoided.

The BMA responded by accusing Streeting and his officials of refusing to negotiate further during the strike period and dismissed his letter as lacking any concrete commitments, particularly on pay.

This latest strike adds to the growing pressure on the NHS, which is already struggling with waiting list backlogs, staffing shortages, and high patient demand.