Starmer calls doctors’ strike ‘dangerous’ as five-day walkout begins

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the latest five-day strike by doctors in England is “dangerous and completely irresponsible” and warned them not to abandon patients.

The strike by resident doctors (the new name for junior doctors) began on Wednesday at 07:00.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is asking for a “truly long-term plan” to increase wages and compensate for years of below-inflation growth.

The doctors' union also wants new training places to be created “rather than recycled” so more qualified doctors can specialize and advance their careers.

NHS chiefs say they will struggle to maintain some pre-booked services during the strike as hospitals face a surge in flu and other winter illnesses.

The BMA said it would work with NHS chiefs to ensure safety in hospitals and other parts of the health system.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Starmer said his message to local doctors was: “Don't abandon patients, work with us to improve conditions and rebuild the NHS.”

In response, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Starmer “didn't have enough baubles” to ban doctors' strikes and that he had lost control of the unions.

Speaking at a vigil at a London hospital, BMA resident physician director Dr Jack Fletcher said “here we are again because we have not yet reached a credible deal to resolve this absurd jobs crisis”.

“We are asking for an end to these real pay cuts that the government is recommending for doctors,” he said.

Asked about recent opinion polls that show public support for strikes is falling, he said: “I care what my patients think, but I didn't sign up to provide that kind of help in the hallway.”

This is the 14th strike by resident doctors in a long-running pay dispute.

The strike continued after last-minute talks between the government and the union broke down without reaching an agreement.

The government described the meeting as “constructive” but not enough progress was made to end the strike.

Resident doctors represent almost half of the doctors working in the NHS. They refuse both urgent and non-urgent care, and senior doctors are brought in to cover.

Around 50 medics protested outside St Thomas' Hospital in London, as well as in hospitals across the country, including Leeds and Newcastle.

Dr Kruntika Ramamurthy, who trained in India and worked in the UK for five years, said she had been unable to secure a post in the specialty for which doctors can apply after the first two years of training.

Instead, she was forced to substitute and work short-term positions that do not count toward her training.

“It's really difficult. I'm not moving up the career ladder – obviously there aren't enough jobs. I don't want to go on strike, but the government isn't solving our problems – wages are still below 2008 levels,” she said.

“If the NHS is collapsing because of flu cases, which really tell you everything, the NHS needs to be better resourced.”

During the last two strikes – in July and November – NHS England said it was able to continue with most non-urgent operations and treatments such as hip and knee replacements.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday morning, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he “deeply regrets” the impact the strike will have on patients in the run-up to Christmas.

He said the situation in some hospitals was already “risky” and he was concerned about the impact on other medical staff who would “suffer as a result” of the strike.

He said there was no sign of a breakthrough after five hours of talks with BMA officials on Tuesday.

“I think about work, [we are] I generally agree [but] on salary [we are] too far apart,” he said.

“These strikes will cost £250 million and will have an impact on operational pressures, on patients and on all NHS staff, and I deeply regret that we find ourselves in this situation.”

Concerns have been raised that hospitals may struggle to discharge patients by Christmas as working doctors focus on covering strikes.

Medical director Professor Meghana Pandit said the strikes come at an “extremely difficult time for the NHS”, with record numbers of flu patients in hospital at this time of year.

She said the impact of this series of strikes was likely to be felt by more patients than the previous two, adding that staff covering the strikers would not get Christmas holidays with their families.

NHS England said GP practices will remain open and A&E services will remain available for those who need them.

But even then there will likely be some disruption. Cheltenham General Hospital Emergency Department is closed for emergencies during the strike – it will remain open for minor injuries – patients are advised to go to the nearby Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

NHS England said the public should use 111 online as the first resort for urgent but non-life-threatening issues during a strike.

Patients experiencing a medical emergency should continue to call 999 or go to A&E as normal, it added.

The strike continues despite a new government proposal last week that included increasing the number of specialist positions and covering personal expenses such as exam fees.

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital and ambulance services, said the strikes were “like the worst Groundhog Day”.

“But unlike the film, this is reality, so thousands of patients will have operations and procedures delayed or cancelled,” he told BBC Breakfast.

He added that the “increasingly bitter dispute” appears to be “further from being resolved than ever.”

However, he added that patients would still be safe in hospital and that people should come to their appointments unless advised otherwise.

On Monday, the BMA announced that its members had voted to continue the strike – effectively rejecting the proposal in the process – after the union agreed to conduct an online survey of members.

Streeting said he would not discuss pay issues because doctors' salaries have been increased by nearly 30% over the past three years.

The BMA says that despite the pay rise, resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than in 2008 when inflation is taken into account.

But it said it was committed to ensuring patient safety.

“We will be in close contact with NHS England during strikes to address safety concerns should they arise,” the union added.

Resident doctors in Wales have signed a new contract that promises an extra 4% investment in their workforce.

In Scotland, BMA resident doctors are awaiting the results of their strike vote later this week after saying government ministers had abandoned a pay deal.

Scotland is currently the only part of the UK that has avoided strikes by NHS workers.

Additional reporting by Joe McFadden, Elena Bailey and Chris Bramwell.