The Government has put forward an offer on ending the jobs crisis for doctors in England. The offer includes:
- Emergency legislation in the New Year to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors with significant experience working in the NHS for specialty training role.
- The increase of specialty training posts over the next three years from the 1,000 announced in the 10 Year Health Plan, to 4,000. These posts will be repurposed from ‘locally employed’ roles already present in the health service.
- Bringing forward 1,000 of those training posts to start in 2026
- Funding mandatory Royal College examination and membership fees for resident doctors
The BMA will consult resident doctor members in England on whether this offer would be sufficient to call off the next period of strikes from the 17th December. A survey of members will run online, closing on Monday 15th December.
If members indicate it is enough to call off these strikes, a formal referendum of resident doctors would follow, giving members time to consider the details of the offer and whether to accept it and end the current dispute.
If the survey of members decides it is not enough to call off strikes, they will go ahead as planned next week.
BMA resident doctors committee chair Dr Jack Fletcher said:
“This offer is the result of thousands of resident doctors showing that they are prepared to stand up for their profession and its future.
“It should not have taken strike action, but make no mistake: it was strike action that got us this far.
“We have forced the Government to recognise the scale of the problems and to respond with measures on training numbers and prioritisation. However, this offer does not increase the overall number of doctors working in England and does nothing to restore pay for doctors, which remains well within the Government’s power to do.
“After their strike action succeeded in moving the Government from offering 1,000 training jobs to 4,000, as well as a plan on prioritisation for UK graduates and those who have worked in the NHS for some time, as a member-led organisation we are giving resident doctors their say.
“If members believe this is enough to call off strike action then we will hold a referendum to end the dispute. But if they give us a clear message that it is not, the Government will have to go further to end industrial action.”
Ends
Notes to editors
The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.
- More details of the offer available here.