Resident doctors across England have begun a fresh wave of strike action, reigniting a bitter dispute with the government over pay that health secretary Wes Streeting had hoped was resolved.
Pay Restoration Journey 'Not Finished'
The British Medical Association (BMA) is leading the industrial action, with its chair Dr Tom Dolphin insisting that medics' pay remains "way down" compared to 2008 levels. He told Sky News that while pay rises over the last two years had partially addressed the issue, they had not completed what Mr Streeting himself had called "a journey" towards full restoration.
"When we started the dispute, the lowest level of the resident doctors were being paid £14 an hour," Dr Dolphin stated. He argued that while most workers have seen pay recover since the 2008 financial crash, doctors have been left far behind other public sector workers.
The Numbers Behind the Dispute
The government points to its 29% settlement last year as one of the largest in the public sector, intended to draw a line under two years of walkouts. According to the Nuffield Trust, a medic just out of university now receives a basic salary of £38,831 in 2025/26, with estimated average earnings of £45,900 when factors like unsociable hours are included.
This average rises to £54,400 by the second year, while a more senior speciality registrar earns an average of £80,500. However, the BMA maintains that when using the Retail Price Index (RPI), which they argue better reflects living costs, resident doctors have experienced significant pay erosion.
Strike Impact and Government Response
Dr Dolphin admitted that "the strikes cause disruption" and expressed regret that patients would be affected. "I don't want patients to suffer," he said, "I completely get that. And I'm sorry that it's happening." However, he defended the action as necessary, noting that the BMA isn't demanding an immediate cash injection but rather a multi-year pay deal to end the dispute long-term.
When challenged about the £1.7bn cost of previous strike action that could have been spent on NHS services, Dr Dolphin responded pointedly: "Who do you think is treating the cancer patients? It's the doctors."
The health secretary has criticised the BMA for striking again, while the union insists the government has failed to finish the pay restoration journey it acknowledged was necessary.
