Senior doctors call off two-day strike planned this month
Consultant doctors in England have cancelled their 48-hour strike due on 25 November 2026 to hold formal talks with the government over pay and working conditions.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Senior consultant doctors in England have cancelled their planned two-day strike.
- The British Medical Association (BMA) is entering formal talks with the government.
- Core demands include pay inflation adjustments and reduced standard working hours.
- Government sources state further pay raises this year are restricted by public finances.
Consultant doctors across England have called off their upcoming two-day strike, which was originally scheduled to begin on 25 November 2026 at 06:59 GMT, to engage in formal negotiations with the government.
The planned walkout would have restricted hospital operations to emergency care only, known as Christmas Day cover, which was expected to cause severe disruption to routine appointments and elective medical services.
The British Medical Association (BMA), the trade union representing the doctors, stated that it was pausing the industrial action to discuss compensation and working conditions directly with government representatives.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Although consultants – representing the most senior doctors in hospitals – received a 3.5% pay rise this year, the BMA argues that real-terms pay has declined by a quarter over the past 17 years when factoring in inflation measurements.
"We welcome the opportunity to enter formal negotiations with the government and hope this marks a turning point in a dispute that has gone on for far too long."
Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta
In addition to salary adjustments, the union is seeking a reduction in the standard working week from 40 to 35 hours, higher compensation for out-of-hours shifts, and greater flexibility regarding pension arrangements.
The ongoing negotiations between the BMA and the UK government highlight the deep structural challenges facing the National Health Service (NHS). Balancing fair compensation for senior medical professionals against strict public sector budget constraints remains a critical hurdle for healthcare administration and workforce retention.
In the strike ballot, 76% of participating consultants voted in favour of industrial action, with just over half of eligible BMA members casting a vote. The government noted that this represents roughly one in five of all consultants employed by the NHS in England, as nearly half are not union members.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper described the cancellation as welcome news for patients and the wider NHS, highlighting constructive discussions on reforms to grant consultants a stronger voice and greater flexibility.
Source: BBC Health
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment