Junior doctors in England are set to embark on a six-day walkout starting Wednesday, marking the longest strike in the 75-year history of the National Health Service.
The British Medical Association, representing junior doctors, has been advocating for improved pay amid rising inflation, triggering a series of strikes over the past year.
In 2023 alone, the NHS, known for providing free healthcare since its inception in 1948, had to cancel 1.2 million appointments due to strikes.
The recent talks between the BMA and the government broke down after the doctors were offered an 8-10% pay rise, falling short of their demand for a 35% improvement to offset the impact of inflation over several years.
The government, having reached new pay deals with other healthcare workers, including nurses and senior doctors, remains resistant to hikes it believes would exacerbate inflation.
The ongoing strikes heighten the strain on the NHS, already grappling with more than 7.7 million patients on waiting lists for procedures and appointments.
NHS National Medical Director Stephen Powis expressed concern, stating, “This January could be one of the most difficult starts to the year the NHS has ever faced.”
Junior doctors, a vital part of the medical community, are qualified physicians with several years of experience working under senior doctors’ guidance.
The government, insisting on fair resolutions, views the striking junior doctors as outliers, citing successful agreements with other healthcare workers’ unions.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged an end to the strikes, emphasizing a willingness to engage in further discussions.
The BMA, highlighting a record waiting list and a decade of underinvestment, argues that the NHS’s current state is a result of exhaustion, disenchantment, and prolonged pay erosion among healthcare professionals.
The union emphasized, “Morale on the frontline has never been lower,” expressing concerns about the sustainability of the health service.
