Resident doctors are to go on strike for four days from Monday 15 June after the British Medical Association (BMA) said that “intransigence” from new health secretary James Murray had left it with no choice but to take further industrial action.
The strike involves resident doctors from the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust which operates hospitals across the county including Exeter Community Hospital in Whipton, Nightingale Hospital in Sowton and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in Heavitree and Wonford.
It is the sixteenth round of industrial action by resident doctors in an ongoing dispute between the BMA and the government.
It follows a six-day strike in April, held after Easter, and a five-day strike held just before Christmas.
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in Wonford
The BMA campaign for increased pay began in June 2022 after a vote at its annual conference, with its first strike action beginning on 13 March 2023.
The latest pay offer from the government was rejected by the BMA in March this year.
Last month, resident doctors committee chair Jack Fletcher said he had hoped that the appointment of James Murray – following the resignation of former health secretary Wes Streeting – would lead to a “change in approach”.
He said that the new health secretary had not taken a “genuine opportunity to break this logjam with fresh energy and ambition”.
He added: “Instead, we are hearing the same tired line: vagueness on new jobs and no further money on the table.
“We cannot be asked to negotiate in good faith for weeks, only to be told there is nothing left to negotiate about on pay and no further details to come on jobs”.
The latest strike is set to begin at 7am on Monday 15 June and end at 7am on Friday 19 June.
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust advice is to attend planned appointments as normal unless informed otherwise.
Emergency departments and minor injury units will remain open throughout the strike but the public are advised to visit their local pharmacy or GP for medical problems that are not critical or life-threatening.
Resident doctors – hospital doctors who are not consultants – make up about half of all hospital doctors in England.
