Resident doctors in England have announced dates for their ballot for renewed industrial action over pay. With three weeks having passed since they warned the Government of the consequences of the absence of a reasonable, timely pay offer, the BMA’s resident doctors committee (RDC) has chosen to ballot its members for strike action.
The ballot will open on 27 May and close on 7 July 2025.
Co-chairs of RDC, Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, said:
“Today we met with Wes Streeting and made clear that all he would have to do to avoid the need for a ballot was pledge to negotiate a fair deal that moved us toward pay restoration by 2027, in line with existing BMA policy. Unfortunately, he could not make this commitment.
“Resident doctors are not going to be ignored. We are going to stand up for our value to the NHS and to patients, and we are going to fight to stay on the path set out for us by last year’s deal: restoration of our pay to the level of 2008.
“No doctor today is worth less than they were 17 years ago, and that is precisely what doctors voting “yes” to industrial action will be telling the Government. We don’t want to be in the situation where we have to fight over and over again for our worth – we would rather get on with our careers and our work caring for our patients.
“But our successful action over previous years shows clearly that if that is what we must do, then doctors are more than prepared to do it. The Government does not have to go through what its predecessor did. It can instead act responsibly and tell us that it will be putting us back on the path to full pay restoration. If they can commit to that, we never need to even see a picket line form.”
Notes to editors
If returned with a “yes” vote, a mandate for industrial action would last from July 2025 to January 2026.
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.