Junior doctors from HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union will strike for five days across England in February in the latest step in their pay dispute.
This follows the government’s ongoing failure to address pay erosion, which has seen junior doctors’ pay fall by more than a quarter since 2008.
Junior doctors will walk out from 7am on Saturday 24th February until 7am on Thursday 29th February.
HCSA Junior Doctors Committee Chair Dr Karim Salem said:
“We have a new health secretary but not a new approach from the government. Junior doctors are sick of being treated like this.
“Once again we have been left to prop up the NHS amid chronic understaffing. It is only going to get worse unless we can recruit, retain and respect junior doctors. That means redressing the balance on pay.
“None of us wants to be on strike but once more we find ourselves forced to take action.”
HCSA President Dr Naru Narayanan said:
“Everyone, from NHS leaders to doctors to patients, has told the prime minister and the health secretary that they need to resolve this dispute.
“Junior doctors have repeatedly shown their willingness to do so. But they can’t be expected to have infinite patience.
“Hopefully these strikes can yet be averted by the government tabling a good-faith, credible pay offer. If not, our members remain united and determined.”
Notes:
- Junior doctor members of HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union will stage a full work stoppage on full walk out on 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th February.
- In December members voted 96% for strike in a re-ballot, extending their mandate to strike until June. This was the second re-ballot since the dispute began in early 2023.
- Both consultant and specialist and specialty doctor (SAS) members of HCSA in England recently voted to reject offers from the government in their own disputes.
- HCSA is the trade union and professional association for hospital doctors of all grades, across the UK.
Members can find further information and guidance in HCSA's regularly updated strike FAQs.