Junior doctors in England have reached an agreement with the government to end their strike action, concluding one of the longest disputes in NHS history.

Since March of last year, the British Medical Association (BMA) organized 11 strikes, resulting in 44 days of disruption across the health service.

The strikes were part of a dispute over pay and working conditions, with junior doctors seeing their salaries decrease in real terms due to inflation. The BMA, which represents doctors and medical students in the UK, initially demanded a 35% pay rise but ultimately agreed to a 22% increase over two years. This offer was made by Health Secretary Wes Streeting in July, following the Labour Party’s general election win.

The BMA cautioned that further above-inflation pay rises would be expected in the future, warning of "consequences" if not met.

Impact of the Strikes

Junior doctors, who make up more than 40% of the NHS medical workforce, had a significant impact on routine hospital services such as scheduled surgeries. Over the past year, more than 1.2 million appointments and treatments were canceled due to the strikes.

The pay issue was central to the dispute, with the BMA arguing that junior doctors' wages had not kept pace with inflation since 2008. Additionally, concerns were raised about working conditions, with many doctors leaving the profession, exacerbating staffing shortages across the NHS.

Broader Agreements and Reactions

Doctors in England are the latest to reach a settlement, following similar agreements with junior doctors in Wales and Scotland earlier this year. Talks are ongoing in Northern Ireland, with no strike action planned at this time.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting expressed relief that the dispute was resolved, calling it the "most devastating dispute in the health service’s history." He emphasized that this agreement was the first step toward addressing waiting lists, reforming the NHS, and preparing it for future challenges.

Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, also welcomed the resolution, stating that health leaders were relieved to avoid further strikes, especially with a challenging winter ahead.

Dr. Robert Laurenson and Dr. Vivek Trivedi, co-chairs of the BMA’s junior doctors’ committee, thanked their colleagues for standing firm on the picket lines and expressed pride in how far they had come. However, they noted that their campaign for improved conditions and pay is not over yet. Photo by Roger Blackwell, Wikimedia commons.