Dr Naru Narayanan, HCSA President

“As the current wave of doctors’ strikes unfolds across the NHS, the Hospital Doctors’ Union wishes to make clear its position and concerns. While our Resident members have chosen not to take industrial action at this time, we recognise and share their deep frustrations over pay and working conditions.

Frequent rotations, often at very short notice, place immense strain on both professional and personal lives. On top of this, Resident Doctors are required to complete mandatory courses and exams at significant personal cost, adding to the financial pressures they face. These doctors provide an invaluable service, frequently making life-or-death decisions, and their pay must reflect the level of responsibility entrusted to them.

Beyond pay, we must also address the severe shortage of training places following completion of the foundation programme. This bottleneck threatens the pipeline for future consultants and GPs, with serious implications for patient care and workforce sustainability. While our Resident members have chosen not to proceed with industrial action, we have written to Wes Streeting formally raising their concerns.  Doctors have a legal and moral right to take industrial action, and the Hospital Doctors’ Union expresses solidarity with our sister union and calls for urgent discussions on improving pay and conditions to safeguard both doctors and patient care.

As we have said in our previous statement: ‘Our view is that the only way to resolve repeated disputes on pay is for the government to commit to a road map on pay. We shall continue to see industrial unrest until this matter is resolved.’ This remains true today.

We call on government and NHS leaders to engage urgently with all medical unions to deliver meaningful reform. Without decisive action, the NHS risks losing talented doctors and undermining the future of patient care."

- Dr Naru Narayanan, HCSA President

Strike guidance: Consultants/SAS

Strike guidance: Resident Doctors