In a vote over the past few days, BMA resident doctor members voted by 83% to 17% to carry on with strike action, which will start at 7am on 17 December and end at 7am on 22 December. The turnout was 65% of resident doctor members.
BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, said: 'Our members have considered the Government's offer, and their resounding response should leave the health secretary in no doubt about how badly he has just fumbled his opportunity to end industrial action. Tens of thousands of frontline doctors have come together to say no to what is clearly too little, too late.
'There are no new jobs in this offer – he has simply cannibalised those jobs which already existed for the sake of ‘new' jobs on paper. Neither was there anything on what Mr Streeting has said is a journey to restoring our pay – that has clearly hit the buffers.
'This week's strike is still entirely avoidable – the health secretary should now work with us in the short time we have left to come up with a credible offer to end this jobs crisis and avert the real terms pay cuts he is pushing in 2026. We're willing to work to find a solution if he is.
'We remain committed to ensuring patient safety, as we have done with all previous rounds of strike action, and urge hospital trusts to continue planning to ensure safe staffing. We will be in close contact with NHS England throughout the strikes to address safety concerns if they arise.'
At the end of last week, health secretary Wes Streeting said the Christmas strikes could be the ‘Jenga piece that collapses the tower'.
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Rory Deighton, acute and community care director at the NHS Confederation, said: ‘It is bitterly disappointing that the BMA has rejected this offer and chosen to continue with hugely disruptive strikes. These strikes come at the worst possible time, with rapidly rising flu levels putting huge strain on hospitals.
‘Despite NHS leaders working incredibly hard to prepare for these strikes, we are concerned that if resident doctors walk out during a record flu surge it could put patient safety at risk. We would urge the BMA to recognise these strikes are disproportionate given the generous pay rises resident doctors have already had, call them off and moderate their demands so a solution to this long-running dispute can be found.'
Chief executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles said: ‘This vote is a bitter pill which will inevitably result in harm to patients and damage to the NHS.
‘We had hoped that the Government's recent updated offer would be enough to head off another walkout at a time when so many people are suffering with flu, and the NHS needs all hands on deck.
‘Trust leaders and staff will be working now to minimise the impact of the strike, but sadly it will mean further disruption and delays, and a very difficult Christmas for the health service.
‘In responding to the inevitable severe pressures in the coming days it is important that all sides act in good faith to ensure adequate cover is available and that services are as safe as possible.
‘And anyone facing an emergency should know that the NHS will continue to be there for them.'
