Resident doctors in England have overwhelmingly voted that the Government’s proposed offer on jobs is not good enough for them to call off proposed strike action this week. In a vote over the last few days, BMA resident doctor members voted by 83% to 17% to carry on with strike action, which will start at 7am on 17 December and end at 7am on 22 December.  

Turnout was 65% of resident doctor members. 

BMA resident doctors committee (RDC) chair Dr Jack Fletcher 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 – that 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.” 

Notes to editors