5-Day Doctor Strike Ends as NHS Races to Save Christmas
Hospitals rush to send patients home for Christmas after a five-day doctor strike disrupted care, highlighting NHS pressures and pay dispute fallout.
Hospitals in England are trying to send patients home by Christmas and recover from the disruption caused by a five-day doctors' strike.
Junior doctors – now known as resident doctors – are returning to work after striking over an ongoing pay dispute.
Thousands of elective and outpatient appointments were cancelled as senior doctors were redeployed to cover emergency and essential care. The NHS Confederation, which represents hospital trusts, says the full impact on patients is still being assessed.
The strike came amid rising flu cases and despite last-minute talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government.
BMA members rejected a new government offer aimed at addressing concerns about training and job security.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said he wants to see the dispute resolved by the new year.
Dr. Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA's junior doctors committee, said the union was keen to engage in talks with Mr. Streeting.
He said: "There needs to be less name-calling and more negotiation in 2026. We need a proper solution to this workforce crisis and a credible path to restoring the dignity of the profession.
"That means genuinely creating new jobs and could include a responsible multi-year approach to restoring doctors' pay."
The doctors' union said this was the 14th strike since March 2023, with 65% of its members participating.
The doctors' union argues that resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than in 2008 due to inflation. This year, they received an average pay rise of 5.4%.
During a visit to an ambulance station in London last week, Mr. Streeting said: "I want to bring this dispute to an end." "I don't want us to be locked in a bitter dispute, and I will never close the door to negotiations, and I will do everything I can to ensure we can start 2026 in a better place."
However, Street said the BMA "is demanding an additional 26% on top of what we've already offered."
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He added, "That's not a sum we can afford, but we will be back in negotiations with them in the new year." Health experts have warned that the strike's impact will be felt "well into" the new year and beyond.
"After five days, we have a lot of tired senior doctors, who we are now deploying to make sure we can discharge patients before Christmas and reduce our bed occupancy."
Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the strike as "dangerous and utterly irresponsible," particularly at the start of winter during a record flu season.
During the strike, the BMA said it would work with NHS bosses to ensure safety across hospitals and other parts of the health service.
While the NHS is on high alert for flu, the surge in the virus appears to be slowing down for now. More than 3,000 patients were in hospitals in England with the virus.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, junior doctors are set to strike from January 13 to January 17. This will be the first time NHS staff have held a nationwide strike in the country.
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