Militant docs WILL nonetheless strike regardless of determined Government supply as ‘superflu’ continues to batter hospitals
Resident doctors will still strike this week despite a last ditch attempt by the Government to avoid bringing hospitals to a standstill amid a record-breaking surge in flu.
Thousands of medics — previously known as junior doctors — will walk out in the run-up to Christmas from December 17 to December 22.
Health secretary Wes Streeting last week offered the British Medical Association (BMA) a deal in the hope of avoiding the five-day strike.
The doctors’ union had agreed to put the offer to members, which included a fast expansion of specialist training posts as well as covering out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees.
But the survey, which closed earlier today found that resident doctors had voted overwhelmingly to reject the deal and continue action, voting by 83 per cent to 17 per cent.
It comes as health chiefs have warned the NHS is facing the ‘worst case scenario’ this winter with hospitals seeing record demand as mutant flu sweeps across the country.
Health secretary Wes Streeting condemned the announcement as ‘self-indulgent, irresponsible and dangerous’.
BMA resident doctors committee chair Dr Jack Fletcher said: ‘Our members have considered the Government’s offer, and their resounding response should leave the Health Secretary in no doubt about how badly he has just fumbled his opportunity to end industrial action.
British Medical Association (BMA) bosses claimed they had ‘no choice but to announce more strike dates’ after the Government failed to put forward a ‘credible plan’. Pictured: resident doctors on the picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital in London last month
‘Tens of thousands of frontline doctors have come together to say ‘no’ to what is clearly too little, too late.
‘There are no new jobs in this offer – he has simply cannibalised those jobs which already existed for the sake of “new” jobs on paper.
‘Neither was there anything on what Mr Streeting has said is a journey to restoring our pay — that has clearly hit the buffers.
‘This week’s strike is still entirely avoidable – the Health Secretary should now work with us in the short time we have left to come up with a credible offer to end this jobs crisis and avert the real terms pay cuts he is pushing in 2026.
‘We’re willing to work to find a solution if he is.
‘We remain committed to ensuring patient safety, as we have done with all previous rounds of strike action, and urge hospital trusts to continue planning to ensure safe staffing.
‘We will be in close contact with NHS England throughout the strikes to address safety concerns if they arise.’
