Resident Doctors Launch Six Day Walkout Across England Over Stall in Multi Year Pay Restoration Negotiations

Thousands of resident doctors in England began a 6-day strike Tuesday after the BMA rejected the government’s 3.5% pay offer amid ongoing salary restoration talks.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 7, 2026, 10:21 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from AA (Anadolu Agency)

Resident Medics Initiate Longest Strike in Ongoing Pay Dispute

Thousands of resident doctors across England initiated a six day walkout on Tuesday morning, marking a significant escalation in the protracted conflict over medical salaries. The industrial action began at 7 am local time and is scheduled to conclude on the morning of April 13, effectively removing a substantial portion of the junior medical workforce from hospital wards for nearly a week. This strike represents the 15th round of such action since the dispute began, reflecting a deep-seated impasse between the medical profession and the government regarding the financial valuation of resident staff.

Negotiations Collapse Over Multi Year Salary Reform Plans

The current round of strikes follows the Resident Doctors Committee of the British Medical Association, or BMA, rejecting a recent proposal from Health Secretary Wes Streeting. While the government offered a 3.5% pay increase in line with pay review body recommendations, the union argued that the proposal fell short of addressing historic pay erosion. According to BMA leadership, the government’s plan would have spread critical pay structural reforms over a three year period, a timeframe that the committee deemed insufficient to meet the urgent needs of a workforce facing rising inflation and professional burnout.

Department of Health Warns of Impact on Training Posts

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has reacted sharply to the walkout, suggesting that the industrial action could jeopardize the very benefits the union is seeking. The government had previously outlined a package that included not only the 3.5% uplift but also the creation of up to 4,500 additional specialty training places over the next three years. However, Streeting indicated that these enhancements, including the reimbursement of mandatory exam fees, were conditional upon the acceptance of the deal, accusing the BMA of "torpedoing" training opportunities for its own members by choosing to strike.