Ministers Offer New Deal to British Medical Association to Avert Doctors' Strike
Ministers have put forward a fresh deal to the British Medical Association (BMA) in an effort to prevent a planned five-day strike by resident doctors in England starting on 17 December. The BMA will present the offer to its members, with a member survey closing on 15 December to gauge acceptance.
If the offer is accepted, the strike could be called off. The deal proposes a rapid expansion of specialist training posts and coverage of out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees. Specifically, the number of specialty posts will rise by 4,000, with the first 1,000 posts to be made available starting next year.
The package includes emergency legislation to prioritise UK-trained and UK-studied doctors for year-three specialty training posts. This is notable because this year saw 30,000 applicants for 10,000 posts, including doctors trained abroad who were judged on the same basis as UK doctors.
However, the offer does not include any extra pay increase. Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized that there would be no pay negotiations amid recent nearly 30% pay rises over the past three years. The pay issue remains a significant point of contention and is not addressed by the current proposal.
If the online survey indicates sufficient support, a formal referendum will follow. If not, the strikes are expected to proceed as planned.
