More doctors strikes 'last thing the NHS needs' and BMA must call off threats, says Health Secretary

9 June 2025, 07:28 | Updated: 9 June 2025, 15:16

By Natasha Clark

@NatashaC

Wes Streeting has told junior doctors threatening to strike it's the "last thing the NHS needs" and they need to "change their tactics" and call off their threats.

The Health Secretary's told LBC he has "loads of sympathy" with the British Medical Association - but warned the public won't back more walkouts after their 28 per cent pay hike last year.

He's urged them to work with him and leave industrial action as a "last resort" - saying he's willing to meet and doesn't have his fingers in his ears.

It comes after he told them last weekend he wouldn't be able to afford their demands for higher pay this year.

In England, resident doctors are getting an average pay hike of 5.4 per cent - including a £750 consolidated payment.

But the British Medical Association are already threatening fresh walkouts, saying another 20 per cent is needed to get them back to the pay they were seeing in 2008.

They're balloting on fresh industrial action, which runs until July 7, with more strikes possible from next year.

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In an interview with LBC, Mr Streeting also:

• Said he was happy with what he's got from the Chancellor - insisting she will prioritise the NHS
• Admits it's a bumpy time for NHS chiefs as they have to balance budgets and implement huge reforms
• Refused to say when the 8am scramble for an appointment will end but insists we're "moving in the right direction"
• Hinted he would take action to curb the powers of physician associates in a bid to win them over

Mr Streeting said the NHS can't afford to pay doctors more - and pointed to new polling showing there's no support among the public for another round of walkouts.

It comes as BMA resident doctors committee co-chair Dr Ross Nieuwoudt told LBC that "no-one takes the idea of further strikes lightly. Not doctors, not patients."

He added: "When the Health Secretary said that strikes are the 'last thing the NHS needs', I'd ask him to look in the mirror."

Admitting that resident doctors took last year's partial deal in "good faith", Dr Nieuwoudt emphasised that "what we're seeing now is a government that's trying to walk away from that promise".

Recent YouGov polling showed that only 39 per cent of the public support doctors striking over pay, down from 52 per cent when junior doctors went on strike last summer.

He told LBC: "There's no doubt that strikes are the last thing the NHS need right now.

LBC Exclusive: Doctors strikes are the 'last thing the NHS needs'

"I think it's the last thing the resident doctors themselves need, certainly the last thing that patients need."

When asked what his message to resident doctors was, he said: "I think a lot of the public agree with what I've just said and will understand that.

"What I'd say to resident doctors and NHS staff who are listening is this - If I had my fingers in my ears, and I was saying, ‘get stuffed on pay. And I don't agree with you about the conditions you're working in, and I'm not interested. I'm never going to speak to you’, I‘d sort of understand strike action.

"But you've got, in me and in this government, a Health Secretary who, in just 10 months has given you a 28.9% average pay rise.

"Because I didn't just do my first year as Health Secretary, I had to sort out the last two of the previous government. 28.9%. You might not think that goes as far as you wanted, but I think anyone listening would think ‘I'd like a 28.9% pay rise’.

"And I think, to be fair to them, you know, well done. It's their achievement as much as mine."

The BMA is balloting around 50,000 doctors for six months of industrial action which would last until next January.

Mr Streeting has urged doctors to “vote no” - warning the BMA he will not budge on their plea.

He said his door was open to talk about their conditions, career progression, and concerns about medical associates - vowing "I will act".

Mr Streeting added: "I've got loads of sympathy for what they're saying, and I actually want to work with them.

"I met with them twice last month alone. I've offered to meet their entire committee, and I'd say, you've got in me someone who wants to work with you.

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"Strike action should always be a last resort.

"I'd say to the BMA, if you're listening, the government's changed, the policies have changed for the better. You can see that, your tactics need to change now. Work with us, there's no need for strikes."

The co-chairs of the resident doctors committee urged doctors to vote for strike action, but said the door remains open for the Government to come through with a solution.

Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said: “Patients are all too aware how much the NHS relies on its resident doctors. With the announcement of yesterday’s ballot, many will understandably be concerned about how future strike action might affect them getting care but it is important to stress that strike action is not inevitable and can be avoided.

“The government has the power to honour its previous commitment to map out and restore doctors’ pay [to 2008 levels], avoiding strikes entirely.

“Wes Streeting must now step forward with a solution that allows us to stay with our patients, off the picket lines, and remain in this country rather than being driven to seek work abroad where doctors’ unique skills and expertise are more appropriately valued.”

Mr Streeting gave a strong hint he will make moves to shake up the physician associates role, which has caused concern to many doctors.

He wouldn't confirm reports that the Department of Health is poised to rename them in a bid to make it clearer for patients what role they play, but told LBC: "While I've met some brilliant physician associates doing some interesting work, I've also seen and heard concerns from other NHS staff, some patient concerns, and I thought, ‘there's enough in these concerns. I'm hearing that I need to take a good look at this’ and make sure we're actually following the evidence and doing the right thing.

"Bluntly, if we're not, we will change course, we will do things differently.

"We were elected on one word... which is change. And I'm determined to deliver and make sure it's change for the better. So I'm waiting for Gillian Leng to report. When she does, I'll look at her recommendations and then act."

The Chancellor's expected to outline her spending review on Wednesday, and Mr Streeting is confident she's going to "prioritise the NHS there too", calling it a "big national priority".

He said "of course" he was happy about the allocation of funds to his department, adding: "Despite the challenges facing the public finances, we've got a chancellor who's looked at the state of the NHS and she's gone, okay, we're going to have to make some choices that might always be popular and some of the tax decisions have not been popular.

"But if people are seeing the impact of the change in the NHS, I think people might go, okay, right, fair enough, we're seeing the difference. But that's also why the reform of the NHS matters as well, making sure that every penny that goes in is well spent.

"It's necessary to make sure that people know that when they're paying their taxes, we're spending every penny as wisely as lots of people, lots of families at the country at the moment who are having to make some quite tight decisions about their own family finances.

"If we're going to take money off people to pay for the NHS, it's my responsibility to make sure we're spending that money as wisely as people would have spent it themselves."