Starting Wednesday, hospital doctors in England are embarking on their longest consecutive strike in the seven-decade history of the UK’s National Health Service. Junior doctors, below the consultant level, are set to stage a six-day walkout, marking a significant escalation in their prolonged pay dispute with the UK government.
This industrial action unfolds during one of the NHS’s busiest periods, facing heightened strain from winter-related respiratory illnesses. It follows swiftly after a recent three-day strike held just before the Christmas season.
The impending strike, anticipated to involve up to half of the medical workforce on picket lines, is poised to significantly impact almost all routine healthcare services, according to the NHS’s national medical director, Stephen Powis. He expressed concerns, foreseeing January as potentially one of the most challenging periods the NHS has encountered.
Set to commence at 7:00 am (0700 GMT) and conclude at the same time on Tuesday, January 9, this strike was announced by the British Medical Association after negotiations with the government collapsed. Despite a 3 per cent increase offered on top of an earlier 8.8 per cent rise, the junior doctors rejected the proposal, citing uneven distribution across doctor grades and what they perceive as pay cuts for many.
Junior doctors have engaged in strike actions at least seven times since March, drawing criticism from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and hospital leaders. While health policy is under the jurisdiction of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland’s administrations, with England overseen by the UK government, similar actions are brewing elsewhere. Welsh doctors plan a 72-hour strike from January 15, Northern Irish doctors voted for potential strike action, and Scottish counterparts have reached a deal with the Edinburgh government.
This strike arrives at a time when the NHS traditionally witnesses a surge in hospital admissions post-Christmas, compounded by treatment delays during the festive season and the mounting backlog attributed to COVID-related disruptions and chronic underfunding.