London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 25, 2025

Junior doctors strike to go ahead after talks with Government fail

Junior doctors strike to go ahead after talks with Government fail

British Medical Association representatives branded talks with Health Secretary Steve Barclay ‘disappointing’

A strike by junior doctors will go ahead later this month after a union described a meeting with Health Secretary Steve Barclay as “disappointing”.

The British Medical Association said that talks with the Cabinet minister were “just a façade”, claiming that Mr Barclay had not been given a mandate to negotiate a pay rise.

Members of the BMA are set to walk out for 72 hours from March 13 in a dispute over pay. It comes amid ongoing strikes by paramedics and physiotherapists, though nursing strikes have been paused while the Royal College of Nursing holds “intensive” talks over pay with the Government.

Co-chairs of the British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors’ committee Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trevedi, called Mr Barclay a “professional delayer” after talks at the Department of Health broke down on Thursday afternoon.

Dr Laurenson said: “We came here with a mandate and he turned up without one, there was never any real prospect of any real negotiation or offer – it was just a facade.”

With 11 days to go until the 72-hour walkout, he claimed that Mr Barclay did not offer any sort of time frame for negotiations.

He added: “The Government aren’t taking us seriously.

“I don’t understand how the Government can look at a mandate that’s one of the strongest industrial mandates in history and essentially not have any preparations made or anything to put on the table.”

Co-chairs of the BMA’s junior doctors’ committee Vivek Trivedi (left) and Rob Laurenson speak to media at the Department of Health


Dr Laurenson said that BMA members would call off strike action if the Government offered a “meaningful” pay rise.

“You’ve got paramedics, nurses, physiotherapists and doctors all coming to the same moral calculation. This is not some sort of money grab, this is about making sure that we can fix the workforce crisis that is all across the NHS and pay is a fundamental aspect of that.”

Meanwhile, other health unions are considering an invitation from the Government to enter formal pay talks through the NHS staff council.

Sara Gorton, who is chairwoman of the union group on the NHS staff council and Unison’s head of health, said: “Health unions will need to clarify the basis upon which talks can get under way through the NHS staff council.

“This includes understanding the status of the unilateral talks that have taken place with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).”

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "Healthcare leaders will welcome the news that the government has offered to open talks with all unions involved in the strikes.

"We have been calling for the government time and again to open negotiations with all unions and this is a very positive step in the right direction.

"We would hope that all trade unions representing healthcare professionals across the NHS accept this olive branch from the government and are prepared to come to the table with the aim of reaching a compromise with the government as quickly as possible."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The Health and Social Care Secretary met with the BMA today to discuss pay, career progression and working conditions.

“He reiterated the government is happy to continue discussing what is fair and affordable, recognising the vital role junior doctors play and the wider economic pressures facing the UK.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
×