BMA Rejects NHS Requests for Strike Cover Amid Patient Safety Dispute

The British Medical Association (BMA) and NHS leadership have clashed over the handling of 'derogations' during a five-day strike by resident doctors in England, with NHS chiefs accusing the BMA of refusing requests for doctors to return to work in critical areas, while the BMA denies these claims and insists derogations are granted only for genuine emergencies without enhanced pay. NHS leaders acknowledged the strike caused disruptions, delaying tests and treatments, but emphasized efforts to maintain patient safety and care continuity. The ongoing dispute also highlights a wider crisis as thousands of resident doctors completing foundation training are unable to secure specialist training posts, prompting the BMA to open a formal dispute with the government over these “training bottlenecks.” NHS leaders have urged the BMA to consider the impact of further strikes on patients and staff, while the BMA maintains that NHS management has failed to adequately staff hospitals to cover striking doctors. Meanwhile, nurses in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have overwhelmingly rejected a 3.6% pay award, raising the possibility of additional industrial action across the NHS later in the year. Both the BMA and NHS continue to negotiate amid escalating tensions over pay and patient safety during industrial actions.