You may be aware of the junior doctor strikes that are extremely prevalent in the media at the moment. Several of these took place last year, as well as a 144-hour strike back in January of this year. This lasted from the 3rd until the 9th January.
The main goal of the strikes is to resolve the ongoing pay dispute between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government. The union says that junior doctors in England have had a 26% real-terms pay cut since 2008 because pay rises have been below inflation. As well as this, doctors are striking due to the lack of support, and poor working conditions. “A crippling cost-of-living crisis, burnout and well below inflation pay rises are driving hard working doctors out of their profession, at a time when we need them more than ever.” (BMA website)

The BMA says that the main goals of strike action in 2023/2024 are to achieve full pay restoration, agree on a mechanism with the government to prevent future declines, and reform the Doctors and Dentists Review Body process so pay increases can be recommended independently and fairly.
Although junior doctors have a right to strike, many communities face increased pressure due to the lack of staff. Senior doctors and consultants are having to cover the wards where junior doctors would be working. As a result, they aren’t able to carry out treatments such as non-essential surgeries. Many people are feeling frustrated due to this. The workload for the consultants is immense, with some doctors working 70 hours during the last strike. Historically, hospitals are under the greatest pressure at this time of year, and now they're having to cope without a significant proportion of their workforce.

The BMA junior doctors committee in England (JDC) is planning to reballot its members for another six months of industrial action. The current mandate expires at the end of February. The ballot will run from 7 February – 20 March 2024. If the overall result is “yes”, the mandate for strike action in England will be extended to September 2024.

Written by: Diya K

Moderated by: Kirah R