With 93% (or 26,696) of resident doctors voting yes on a turnout of 53%, the BMA's Resident Doctors Committee (RDC) is urging the Government to act immediately to prevent further strikes taking place in the coming months.
RDC chair Dr Jack Fletcher said: 'This is not a problem the Government can wait out. Ministers cannot be shocked that 93% of doctors have voted to strike after being recommended a pay cut this year by the same health secretary who promised a journey to fair pay.
'And without thousands more training posts, the bottlenecks in medical training are going to continue to rob brilliant young doctors of their careers. Doctors have today clearly said that is not acceptable.
'None of this needs to mean more strikes. In recent weeks, the Government has shown an improved approach in tone compared with the name-calling we saw late last year. A deal is there to be done: a new jobs package and an offer raising pay fairly over several years can be worked out through goodwill on both sides, in the interests of patients, staff and the whole NHS.
'And now that the mandate for strike action is confirmed for six months, the Government has nowhere to run and no means of running out the clock. With no choice but to get a deal, we hope that means a responsible approach from the health secretary and a timely settlement with no further need for strikes.'
In response, Matthew Taylor, interim chief executive of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, said: ‘NHS leaders will be bitterly disappointed that resident doctors have voted to continue with industrial action, especially given the huge impact that strikes have had on patients and the health service's performance and finances. Further strikes will pile yet more unplanned costs on NHS organisations, forcing health leaders to make difficult choices over reducing staff and patient services to try to balance their books.
'The government and NHS are already working hard to improve the working lives of resident doctors, including introducing the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill. Health leaders would urge resident doctors to reflect on the impact of further industrial action on patients, the difficult financial backdrop we're operating in, and the generous pay rise that has already been offered to them by the government before staging more walkouts.
'We cannot let these strikes roll through 2026, using up yet more scarce resources and impeding the progress the NHS needs to make in reducing waiting lists. Health leaders need to see the government and BMA resume talks – through mediation if needed – to find a long-term solution to this dispute.'
