Resident doctors in England call off strike after new offer from government

Resident doctors in England have called off strikes which were scheduled to begin on Monday.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said the government had “made a new offer” at the last minute which would be put to its members for a vote.

The walkout had been due to run from 07:00 BST on Monday 15 June until 06:59 Friday 19 June. It would have been the 16th in the long-running dispute over pay.

Health Secretary James Murray said the new offer was a “chance to draw a line under the damaging disputes of recent years” while the BMA said it had held up its “end of the bargain” after the government shifted its position.

The two sides had been in talks for days – including on Saturday, just hours before the strike was called off.

It came too late to avoid some patient disruption over the coming week.

While NHS England said 95% of operations and appointments were due to go ahead, thousands have been postponed. Reinstating them on the original timetable will be a tough task for hospitals.

But there was relief on both sides.

Government sources said there was no extra money on the table for this year – but that the offer proposed faster increases next year in pay scales.

In addition, it promised 4,500 extra training places for newly qualified doctors and that doctors’ exam fees would be covered.

Previously known as junior doctors, resident doctors have received pay rises worth 33% over the past four years, including a 3.5% increase this year.

It means starting salaries are now just over £40,000, with the most senior resident doctors getting £76,500 in basic pay. They can earn thousands more each year for things like working unsociable times and additional hours.

But the BMA argues they are still being paid a fifth less than they were in 2008 once inflation is taken into account.