Wes Streeting and resident doctors urged to pursue mediation to end strikes
NHS leaders, frustrated and seeking a breakthrough, are urging Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the British Medical Association to try independent mediation in a bid to end the ongoing industrial action by resident doctors. The doctors are set to begin their latest five-day strike on Wednesday, marking the 14th stoppage since 2023.
A mediator could help bridge the rift between the government and the BMA, potentially resolving the 33‑month dispute across England, according to the NHS Confederation, which represents hospital executives. The hope is that an impartial facilitator can unblock negotiations and bring the protracted disagreement to a conclusion.
Thousands of resident doctors—formerly known as junior doctors—will strike from 7am Wednesday, with hospitals already canceling tens of thousands of tests and treatments to cope with the added strain until the strike ends at 7am Monday, 22 December.
Following late-stage talks on Tuesday between Streeting and the BMA, progress was described as constructive but no agreement was reached on pay and staffing.
Sir Jim Mackey, head of NHS England, condemned the strike as “cruel” and “calculated,” suggesting it is designed to create disruption during one of the health service’s most challenging weeks of the year.
The NHS Confederation has stressed the urgency of allowing an independent mediator to try to resolve the long-running disagreement over pay and jobs, warning that the dispute could drag on into next year unless a settlement is found.
Matthew Taylor, the confederation’s chief executive, said: “The current stalemate between the government and the resident doctors’ committee is harming everyone, but patients will bear the heaviest burden. As both sides harden their positions, some common ground is urgently needed, and independent mediation could help.”
He added that a period of renegotiation is likely at some point, but with waiting lists already through the roof, leaders argue that time is of the essence to prevent more patients and staff from becoming collateral damage in this prolonged conflict.
The overarching message is clear: both sides must work toward a shared settlement swiftly, or the strike could become a defining feature of the NHS in 2026, something no one wants.
What resident doctors are seeking is a 26% pay rise over three years and a substantial expansion of training opportunities to let junior doctors specialize earlier. Streeting, however, has described the 26% demand as unaffordable given current public finances, while proposing an increase of training places from 1,000 to 4,000.
The BMA indicates that strikes could continue for months unless ministers present a credible path to increased pay over several years and a meaningful number of new positions, rather than recycled roles. Dr. Jack Fletcher, chair of the resident doctors committee, criticized the government’s handling of the situation and warned that without real progress, the cycle of walkouts could extend well into the new year.
The legal right to strike held by resident doctors expires on 6 January, and the BMA plans to reballot the approximately 55,000 doctors it represents—out of about 70,000 NHS doctors in England. Fletcher reiterated the demand for a transparent route to higher pay over time and for genuinely new roles, arguing that with such proposals, further strikes could be avoided for the remainder of this government’s term.
Neither the Department of Health and Social Care nor its spokespeople commented directly on mediation. A Health department spokesperson said talks with the BMA were aimed at averting the strikes and that every effort was made to prevent disruption, but no agreement was reached. The BMA did not provide a response to requests for comment.
