Exclusive: Move could cause huge disruption and present ministers with major new headache
Hospital consultants are gearing up to join resident doctors in striking over pay in a move that could cause huge disruption for the NHS and present ministers with a major new headache.
In addition, resident doctors – who will tomorrow embark on their latest strike – have decided to adopt a more militant approach in pursuit of their 26% pay claim in which they strike every month, to put pressure on the government.
In a hardening of their tactics, resident – formerly junior – doctors will stage a walkout every month in 2026 if, as they expect, they get a fresh legal mandate to continue their long-running campaign of industrial action. They went on strike 11 times in 15 months between March 2023 and June 2024 but only once since, in July this year.
Thousands of them will take part in what will be the 13th strike of their campaign, starting at 7am on Friday and running until 7am on Wednesday 19 November.
