Resident Doctors Begin Longest Strike in NHS History Across England

Around 50,000 resident doctors walked off wards across England at 7am Tuesday, beginning a six-day strike that already stands as the longest walkout by resident doctors in NHS history. The action, running until 7am on Monday 13 April 2026, marks at least the 15th round of industrial action by the group since they first walked out in March 2023, making it one of the most protracted disputes the health service has ever endured.

The British Medical Association's Resident Doctors Committee (RDC), chaired by Dr Jack Fletcher, called the strike after weeks of negotiations with the government collapsed. The government's final offer, an average pay rise of 4.9% for 2026/27 comprising a 3.5% Doctors and Dentists Review Body award plus phased pay progression reforms, was rejected by the RDC without being put to members in a wider vote. The BMA accused ministers of 'game-playing' and said the government had 'moved the goalposts at the last minute.'

Health Secretary Wes Streeting did not hold back, accusing the BMA of suffering from 'delusion' and questioning whether the union was 'serious about reaching an agreement at all.' Streeting pointed to the government's own figures: starting pay for new graduates now sits nearly £12,000 higher than four years ago, with the lowest-paid foundation doctors in line for rises of at least 6.2% and 7.1% respectively. Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the BMA suspend strikes and put the deal to a member vote; the deadline expired without action.

The consequences of the breakdown extended beyond the picket line. The government withdrew plans for 1,000 additional specialty training posts that had been due in the April 2026 recruitment round, citing the impossibility of launching them on time given the proceeding strike. Dr Fletcher called the decision 'extremely disappointing,' adding it was 'simply wrong that the development of the doctors of the future is being used as a pawn.'

Underpinning the BMA's position is the claim that resident doctors' pay has fallen roughly 20% in real terms since 2008, measured against the Retail Price Index. A deal struck in September 2024 had promised a 28.9% increase over four years, but the BMA re-entered formal dispute in April 2025 alleging the government had failed to honour it. In February 2026, 93% of BMA members voted to strike if no acceptable deal on pay and jobs could be reached, renewing the mandate through August 2026.

The patient impact is already significant. The NHS has warned that every hospital in England will be affected, with elective care treatments and outpatient appointments likely to be rescheduled. Patients have been advised to use emergency services only when necessary but to attend any confirmed appointments. The scale of disruption is not new: a single earlier round of strikes was estimated to have caused approximately 175,000 appointment and procedure cancellations. Consultants, GPs, nurses, and other specialist doctors are continuing to work throughout the action.

The timing, immediately after the Easter bank holiday weekend, drew additional criticism from the government, which said the strike would disrupt the holiday plans of NHS staff already stretched coming out of a demanding winter period. With the industrial mandate intact until August 2026, the prospect of further stoppages looms unless a negotiated settlement can be reached. NHS leaders have called on both the BMA and the government to find a resolution and end a standoff now entering its fourth year.