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Medical professionals in the UK are set to stage a five consecutive day strike in November, in protest over jobs and pay.

Strike Details

The British Medical Association (BMA) stated that resident doctors will strike for five days in a row from 7am on 14 November to November 19 at 7am.

Resident doctors, who make up nearly 50% of all medical staff in the NHS, are taking this action after unsuccessful talks with the government.

Causes of the Walkout

The chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee commented, “This is not where we wanted to be. We have spent the last week in talks with officials, pressing the health minister to end the scandal of unemployed physicians.”

“Our survey reveals 50% of second-year physicians in England are struggling to find jobs, their talents being unused whilst millions of patients endure long waits for care and hospital shifts go unfilled. This is a situation which cannot go on.”

He added, “We negotiated sincerely, hoping the health secretary to see that a agreement including options to slowly restore the cuts to pay over several years, giving recent graduates a raise of only £1 per hour for the next four years.”

“We hoped the authorities would recognize that our demands are not just reasonable but are in the best interests of the public and our those we treat and would also help prevent our doctors leaving the NHS.”

About Resident Doctors

Resident doctors have anywhere up to eight years’ experience working as a hospital doctor, based on their field, or as many as three years in general practice.

Further information are expected shortly.