Resident doctors in England have overwhelmingly rejected the government’s latest offer in a decisive BMA vote, with 83% saying “no”
Tens of thousands of resident doctors in England have decisively rejected the government’s latest proposal in a British Medical Association (BMA) indicative vote, with 83% saying “no” to the offer designed to avoid fresh industrial action.
The rejection means a new five-day strike is scheduled this week, adding to winter pressures on the NHS as flu cases rise and services may face disruption. The Government’s revised package, which included expanded training posts and job-market incentives, did not meet doctors’ demands on pay and job security, according to BMA leaders.
Over 29,000 resident doctors voted against the Government’s offer
The indicative poll, which closed on Monday, had a turnout of 65% with 83% of resident doctors voting to continue industrial action.
The vote follows the Government’s new proposal of measures to address the unemployment crisis faced by resident doctors. These measures included:
- Emergency legislation in the new year to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors with significant experience working in the NHS for speciality training roles,
- The number of speciality training posts will be increased over the next three years, from the 1,000 previously announced in the 10 Year Health Plan to a total of 4,000. However, these 3,000 additional posts are being repurposed from existing ‘locally employed’ roles within the health service, rather than representing wholly new positions.
- Bringing forward 1,000 of those training posts to start in 2026,
- Funding mandatory medical royal college examination and membership fees for resident doctors.
BMA resident doctors committee chair Jack Fletcher said the results of the indicative poll showed the Government’s proposals did not sufficiently address doctors’ concerns with the job situation.
Dr Fletcher said that, while strikes planned for this week would regrettably have to go ahead, the BMA would remain in ‘close contact’ with NHS England to ensure patient safety is maintained during this latest period of industrial action.
He added that he and his colleagues on RDC would remain open to continued dialogue with the Department of Health on finding a way forward.
He said: “Our members have considered the Government’s offer, and their resounding response should leave the health secretary in no doubt about how badly he has just fumbled his opportunity to end industrial action. Tens of thousands of frontline doctors have come together to say “no” to what is clearly too little, too late.
“There are no new jobs in this offer – he has simply cannibalised those jobs which already existed for the sake of “new” jobs on paper. Neither was there anything on what Mr Streeting has said is a journey to restoring our pay, which has clearly hit the buffers.
“This week’s strike is still entirely avoidable – the health secretary should now work with us in the short time we have left to come up with a credible offer to end this jobs crisis and avert the real-terms pay cuts he is pushing in 2026. We’re willing to work to find a solution if he is.
“We remain committed to ensuring patient safety, as we have done with all previous rounds of strike action, and urge hospital trusts to continue planning to ensure safe staffing. We will be in close contact with NHS England throughout the strikes to address safety concerns if they arise.”
