Wes Streeting accuses junior medical doctors of ‘holding the nation to ransom’ in bitter pay dispute after they reject inflation-busting provide as ‘crumbs’ and push forward with crippling NHS strikes

Wes Streeting today accused resident doctors of holding the country ‘to ransom’ after they rejected the Government’s latest offer to settle an increasingly bitter row.

The Health Secretary hit out at the British Medical Association (BMA) – the union representing resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors – ahead of their planned five-day strikes later this month.

Mr Streeting had been hoping to avert another crippling NHS walkout by making a fresh offer to the BMA on Wednesday in a bid to resolve the pay dispute.

But that offer was rejected in just four hours with the BMA’s Dr Melissa Ryan later claiming the Government had offered ‘crumbs’.

In a fiery reponse on social media on Thursday morning, Mr Streeting said: ‘The BMA regard a 28.9 per cent pay rise as ‘crumbs’.

‘They do not acknowledge the sacrifices made by taxpayers – or my responsibility to other NHS staff paid far less than doctors.

‘They are trying to hold the NHS and our country to ransom and we can’t give in to this behaviour.’

The furious spat between Mr Streeting and the BMA will increase fears the union will go ahead with plans for resident doctors to strike from November 14 to 19.

Wes Streeting has accused resident doctors of holding the country ‘to ransom’ after they rejected the Government’s latest offer to settle an increasingly bitter row

The Health Secretary hit out at the British Medical Association – the union representing resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors – ahead of a planned five-day strike

Resident doctors previously went on strike in July to bring widespread disruption to the NHS in England

Resident doctors previously went on strike in July to bring widespread disruption to the NHS in England.

The BMA has slammed this year’s inflation-busting pay rise for resident doctors of 5.4 per cent as not going far enough to restore historical pay freezes. 

But the Health Secretary has said the Government won’t budge on pay and pointed to the 28.9 per cent pay rise enjoyed by resident doctors over the last three years. 

Mr Streeting had written to resident doctors on Wednesday setting out the Government’s latest offer to settle the dispute.

This included more specialty training places and covering the costs of mandatory exams and membership fees.

In a letter to resident doctors in England, he said: ‘I must underline that the enormous financial pressures facing the country mean I am not able to go further on pay.

‘We cannot afford to do more at this time and no amount of strike action will change this.’

Dr Jack Fletcher, the BMA’s resident doctors committee chairman, said in a statement: ‘This does not go far enough.

‘Even with this offer, thousands of doctors would still be unable to find a job – 30,000 doctors applied for 10,000 places this year – 1,000 more is not going to fix this crisis, nor come anywhere near doing so.

‘Whatever else is true of this offer, Mr Streeting is still not facing up to the gravity of the situation: doctors facing unemployment while patients can’t see a doctor.

‘We have also been clear with Government that they can call off strikes for years if they’re willing to offer a multi-year pay deal that restores pay over time.

‘Sadly, even after promising a journey to fair pay, Mr Streeting is still unwilling to move. In fact, he has just suggested another real-terms pay cut.

‘Strikes can still be avoided but first there will need willingness to offer a pay deal and a genuine solution on jobs.’