Resident doctors in England have called off their planned strike action after the government tabled a new pay offer, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced on Friday.
New Offer Averts Walkout
The BMA said it had received a “credible” offer from the Department of Health and Social Care, prompting the suspension of the 48-hour strike that was due to begin on Tuesday. The offer includes a 4.5% pay rise for 2025-26, backdated to April, and a commitment to address working conditions.
Dr. Vivek Trivedi, co-chair of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, said: “This is a significant step forward. We have recommended that our members accept the offer, and we have suspended all strike action while they vote.”
Details of the Deal
The proposed deal covers the 2025-26 financial year and includes:
- A 4.5% increase in basic pay
- Additional payments for out-of-hours work
- A review of the pay restoration process
- Measures to improve rota design and reduce burnout
The government has also agreed to enter into formal negotiations on long-term pay reform for resident doctors.
Background
Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, have been engaged in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions. They argued that their real-terms pay had fallen by more than 25% since 2008. The BMA had been seeking full pay restoration, which it said would require annual increases of around 35% over several years.
The new offer falls short of that demand but represents an improvement on the previous 3% offer, which was rejected in March. The BMA said the deal would be put to its 75,000 members in a ballot over the next three weeks.
Reactions
Health Secretary Wes Streeting welcomed the suspension of strikes, saying: “This is good news for patients and for the NHS. We have listened to doctors’ concerns and made a fair offer that recognises their hard work.”
However, some doctors expressed caution. Dr. Sarah Jones, a resident doctor in Manchester, said: “I’m glad we’re not striking, but this is not the full restoration we need. I’ll wait to see the details before deciding how to vote.”
The Royal College of Nursing and other health unions have also been watching the outcome, as their own pay negotiations continue.
If accepted, the deal would end a series of strikes that have caused widespread disruption to NHS services over the past year. The BMA said it would not call any further strikes while the ballot is ongoing.
