UK Health Secretary Criticizes Resident Doctors After Five-Day Strikes

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has strongly criticized the British Medical Association's (BMA) resident doctors for their recent five-day strike over pay, describing their actions as "deeply disappointing," "entirely unnecessary," and "self-defeating." Despite the strike's disruption to NHS services, including cancer care, Streeting emphasized that the government cannot increase pay beyond current measures, which have already seen above-inflation rises over the past three years totaling nearly 29%. He urged the BMA to cease strike action and return to negotiations focused on non-pay issues such as working conditions and career progression, proposing a deal that could allow both sides to "win the peace." Streeting also accused the BMA of squandering the considerable goodwill they previously held with the government by rushing into strike action and walking away from ongoing talks. NHS officials noted that fewer patients were affected during this strike compared to previous ones due to better planning and decreased participation among resident doctors. Fresh talks are planned, but the government insists that pay demands remain non-negotiable, while the BMA maintains that pay remains the core issue of the dispute.