Health Secretary Criticizes Doctors’ Union Over Strike Plans
Wes Streeting, the UK’s Health Secretary, has launched a strong critique against the leaders of the striking doctors, accusing them of acting in bad faith and failing to represent their members effectively. The five-day walkout by resident doctors is expected to cause significant disruption, with patients facing extended wait times and canceled appointments.
Streeting emphasized that the union officials involved in negotiations gave the impression they were open to resolving the dispute through further discussions. However, he was taken aback when the British Medical Association (BMA)’s resident doctors committee decided to proceed with the strike despite ongoing talks. He described this as an unprecedented move, especially given that the doctors had already received substantial pay raises over the past three years—totaling 28.9%.
He pointed out that the BMA leaders who met with him either lacked the authority to influence their committee or intentionally misled their members. This, he argued, risks damaging the reputation of the broader trade union movement. Streeting also called for an apology from the BMA, stating that patients are suffering due to the strike and that the medical profession should always prioritize the principle of “Do No Harm.”
Up to 50,000 resident doctors are set to strike starting at 7 am on Friday, demanding an additional 29% pay increase. While the government has refused to meet this demand, it has offered other financial concessions, such as covering costs related to exams, equipment, and training. However, Streeting revealed that the estimated cost of managing the impact of the strike—hundreds of millions of pounds—has forced the government to abandon these offers.
He urged doctors who disagree with the BMA’s militant approach to return to work, stating that the government will not be intimidated. “They have seriously underestimated me. They’ve underestimated this Prime Minister. And they’ve underestimated this government,” he said. “We’re not going to cave into this kind of militancy. That would be an extremely dangerous precedent to set.”
Streeting criticized the BMA for adopting hardline tactics that punish patients without justification. He acknowledged that while efforts will be made to minimize the impact of the strikes, it is impossible to guarantee that no patients will suffer. “There will be lots of people who waited a long time, who were looking forward to their appointments and their treatments this weekend, who will have been notified that their procedure can’t go ahead,” he said.
The Health Secretary also highlighted the personal toll of waiting for medical care, drawing from his own experience with kidney cancer. “I know what it’s like when you’re waiting for your tests, your scans, your appointments, the anxiety that comes with that.”
He stressed that the BMA appears to have lost sight of its core responsibility. “The thing that BMA seem to have lost sight of are the three words that more than anything else sums up the responsibility of medics, which is to Do No Harm.”
Streeting also addressed the union leaders he had been negotiating with, questioning their ability to represent their members effectively. “They gave me the impression that the reason that they were in the room was to negotiate and agree a letter that could go to their committee that would see the postponement of strike action. And then I get a result back from the committee, which was a unanimous rejection.”
He added that the BMA should reflect on the weakening support for industrial action among its members. “When you’ve got a government that has shown a real willingness to work with you, why on earth would you lead your members out on strike, knowing full well that the cost of that strike is untold misery inflicted on patients?”
Hospitals are working to reduce the number of cancellations by spreading staff more thinly to keep essential services running. Streeting has also canceled plans to attend a friend’s wedding to monitor the situation at the NHS Operational Command Centre and hospitals.
He thanked NHS staff who have opted to stay behind to cover for striking doctors but warned consultants against seeking excessive overtime rates. The BMA had suggested charging £6,000 for on-call cover over the weekend, a proposal that Streeting strongly opposed.
