During last week’s industrial action the NHS sustained more than 95% of planned elective activity, successfully keeping almost all routine care going while protecting essential services such as maternity and urgent cancer pathways. That performance exceeded the NHS’s 95% aim and improved on the roughly 93% protected in strikes that took place in July.
Across the five days of strikes, over 850,000 patients received elective care — about 25,000 more than would have been treated if activity had been at the July strike level. NHS leaders say this outcome reflects staff working around the clock despite extra pressures including Storm Claudia and an earlier-than-usual rise in flu cases.
On average 17,236 resident doctors were absent each day during this round of action, a small rise from the 16,162 daily average recorded in the previous strikes. NHS managers attribute part of that increase to more resident doctors being rostered during the busier winter period than in summer.
The industrial action followed an offer to the BMA’s resident doctors committee that was not submitted to members for a vote. The government’s proposal included more training places, additional funding to cover training costs and measures to improve working conditions, building on a 29% pay rise awarded to resident doctors over the past three years.
To address long-standing concerns, the NHS has launched a 10-point plan aimed at improving resident doctors’ working lives. The plan focuses on reducing payroll errors, cutting unnecessary repetition in training, streamlining annual leave processes, and ensuring access to proper rest facilities and hot food. Nearly all NHS trusts (95%) now have a board-level director responsible for resident doctor issues and a designated resident doctor peer lead to amplify concerns and drive change.
NHS chief executive Sir James Mackey praised staff for their efforts, saying the response represented a monumental effort to keep services running and thanking those who maintained care for patients. He warned that strikes still disrupt some care and consume staff time that would otherwise be used to reduce waiting lists, and urged the BMA to work with the government and NHS to avoid further industrial action.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said the service had “weathered the storm better than ever” and delivered tens of thousands more appointments for patients than in previous strike periods. He reiterated that a higher proportion of resident doctors would have accepted the government’s proposal, and urged the BMA to engage seriously to resolve the dispute.
There are around 79,000 resident doctors in the NHS — roughly half of all doctors. Depending on specialty, they typically have up to eight years’ experience as hospital doctors, or up to three years in general practice.
