Health Secretary Wes Streeting has issued a public apology to patients across the United Kingdom as a major five-day strike by doctors commenced this morning.
Strike Action Begins Amid Festive Period Pressures
The industrial action, involving resident doctors formerly known as junior doctors, started at 7am on Wednesday, December 17. Walkouts are occurring nationwide, including significant picket lines in cities like Birmingham.
At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, doctors were seen holding signs with messages including "pay restoration for doctors" and "doctors need jobs now." Mr Streeting expressed his regret directly, stating: "I’m really sorry to patients for the disruption that is happening as a result."
Government Offer Rejected by Overwhelming Majority
The strike, which will continue until Monday, December 22, follows the rejection of a government offer by the British Medical Association (BMA). The union's members voted decisively against the deal.
83% of voting doctors rejected the proposal, with only 17% in favour. The turnout for the ballot was 65%, meaning 35,107 resident doctors out of approximately 55,000 participated in the decisive vote.
Last week, the government's offer focused on increasing training places to help early-career doctors specialise sooner. However, it did not include a pay increase for the current financial year, a key point of contention for the medical professionals.
"Dicey" Situation for NHS in Coming Weeks
Speaking about the timing of the strike, Wes Streeting emphasised the challenges it poses. "We did everything we could to avert these strikes," he said, noting the action is happening at "the worst time for the NHS" during the busy festive period.
His concerns extend beyond the immediate five-day walkout. He told the Health and Social Care Committee he is "just as, if not more, worried" about the subsequent weeks as the NHS deals with the backlog created by the disruption.
"It is dicey," Streeting admitted after a visit to an operational centre. "I think we’re off to a decent start, but this is going to be a challenging five days and a really challenging few weeks, and we’re doing everything we can to keep the show on the road."
The strike represents a significant escalation in the ongoing dispute between the government and doctors over pay and working conditions, with patient services across the UK expected to face major disruption throughout the week.
