Doctors in England accept pay deal, ending strikes

Doctors in England have voted to accept a pay and conditions offer, bringing an end to a year of disruptive strike action. The UK government announced Monday that resident doctors, those below consultant level, agreed to an average 6.6% pay increase to be implemented by April 2027.

This deal means medics' pay will be more than 35% higher on average than it was four years ago. The Department of Health also stated that 4,500 extra specialty training places will be created over the next three years. Health Secretary James Murray called the agreement "very good news" for doctors, patients, and the NHS, emphasizing a focus on rebuilding the health service.

The resident doctors had participated in 21 days of strike action since July of the previous year, walking out 15 times in just over three years. A planned four-day strike in mid-June was called off after the latest offer was made, following a deadlock between the government and doctors over pay demands to compensate for inflation-driven real-time loss of earnings. The Labour party, which ousted the Conservatives in July 2024, had vowed to end the strikes.

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This is very good news for resident doctors, patients and the NHS as a whole, allowing us to draw a line under the disruption of previous months and focus on getting on with the job of rebuilding our health service.