“Shocking disregard for patient safety.” England begins a five-day doctors' strike

Resident doctors across England went on a five-day strike on Wednesday, demanding, among other things, increasing wages. Due to the ongoing flu season, hospital directors warn against overloading medical facilities and numerous difficulties that may affect patients.

The current strike is the 14th protest by doctors since March 2023. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer assessed the doctors' actions as “irresponsible”.

'They chose this week because they realized this week was the week in which they can inflict most damage on the NHS and patients'

Health Secretary Wes Streeting spoke to #BBCBreakfast as resident doctors start their five-day strike in Englandhttps://t.co/2BzKnWeRaR pic.twitter.com/ieeFJG0ef5

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) December 17, 2025

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has rejected the British Medical Association's (BMA) pay demands, accusing the union of a “shocking disregard for patient safety”. In response, the BMA said the strike was “entirely avoidable”. Doctors demanded a credible salary offer from the government that would avoid real pay cuts.

In the last three years, doctors received a salary increase of 28.9%. Protesters are demanding an additional 26% wage increase to, as they claim, compensate for the decline in the value of earnings resulting from inflation.

The BMA says that even after the increase, doctors' pay is still 20.8%. lower compared to wages in 2008

Minister Streeting estimated that the five-day strike would cost around a quarter of a billion pounds.

According to a YouGov poll published last week, public support for doctors' strikes is low. They are supported by 33 percent. respondents, and 58 percent The British people spoke out against such protest actions.

From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)

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