This Tuesday, UK resident doctors began a four-day strike, demanding a pay rise to offset annual inflation of 10%. The British Medical Association is calling for a 35% pay rise due to a 26% real drop in workers’ incomes over the last 15 years. The strike could be called off if they receive a credible offer from Health Minister Steve Barclay. However, Barclay questioned the claim and stated that the sum demanded would involve increases of more than £20,000 (about $24,800) for some doctors. This walkout adds to a series of protests in the healthcare sector that included a three-day doctors’ strike last month.
The National Health Service (NHS) reported that the residents’ strike would force the cancellation of between 250,000 and 350,000 consultations, posing a risk to patients. NHS national medical director Stephen Powis expressed concern about the impact on patients and services across the country and called on hospitals to reschedule procedures and outpatients as quickly as possible. Powis also warned that it will take “weeks to recover from this.” For his part, NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor said that “there is no point in hiding that there will be risks to patients” and called on the public to try to “avoid risky behavior” because the NHS will not be able to provide the level of care that is desired.
In summary, UK resident doctors began a four-day strike, demanding a pay rise to cope with annual inflation. The demand is backed by the British Medical Association, which argues that workers have experienced a real drop in income over the past 15 years. Although the government has disputed the demand, the doctors vow to continue the protests until their demands are met. The strike will force the cancellation of hundreds of thousands of medical appointments, posing a risk to patients and the healthcare system as a whole.