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The British Medical Association (BMA) went on strike for 5 days recently and the dispute is not over yet. Both the BMA and the NHS heads seem determined to ‘dig in’ and win the dispute. But why is this?

On the one hand, the BMA are saying that they want a pay rise that would put them on par with the value of salaries received in 2008. Accordingly, they asked for a 29% pay rise. (The Telegraph on 29^th July 2025). However, they had already been given a 28.9% pay rise to be spread over three years. For this year they were given an above inflation offer of 5.4%. With the annual growth in pay (excluding bonuses) during the three-month period was 5%. So, the pay offer of 5.4% is slightly above the average growth in pay, (By the BBC using figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)).  Annual average regular earnings for the public sector… 5.5%                           

And according to the Office of National Statistics, (ONS). the CPIH was 4.1% up until June of this year. This figure combines Consumer price inflation, Producer price inflation and the House price index.  In short, it measures changes in price for goods and services over time.

The BBC cites, that prices in the UK rose by 3.6% (Using the Consumer Price Index) in the 12 months to June. It was 3.4% in the 12 months to May.

Enough Statistics for now! My goodness. But it is important, as you will see. The government's position is partially informed by an inflation rate of 3.6%.  

So, what is the Health Secretary saying? (‘Opinion, on the ‘Guardian App), is quoted as saying on the 29^{th of} July 2025 edition that, we value and rely on BMA members, but on this we’ll stand firm. They are only hurting patients and themselves.” Wes Streeting is the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care,

(The Guardian App’ on the 31^st of July 2025).

Further to this Wes Streeting was of course, not happy that the strike went ahead. This is his response at the end of the strike action. ‘That 5 days of strike action has come to an end., the British Medical Association (BMA) has written to him requesting that he return to the negotiating table.’ He replied, by his own admission, with irony. Stating that,’ he never left the negotiating table’. So, in his eyes nothing was achieved by striking, when negotiations were happening before the strikes took place.

Streeting mentions that he had met with them in good faith. That they had been working on a packet of measures that would, ‘make a difference in doctors training costs, costs associated with being a doctor and the lack of training opportunities’. (Opinion, The Guardian app, 31^{st of} July 2025). So why the fuss? You may well ask.

Wes Streeting is taking a strong stance on the matter of pay. Being Adamant that there is no more money to offer with regards to pay. (The Independent 30.7.2025)

Now to the BMA, who are the doctors union.

In responding to Wes Streeting’s position, they have insisted on pay being a part of the negotiations during the talks. This is despite their 28.9% pay rise in 2024, that is to be spread over three years. According to the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR), the BMA is seeking a pay increase of 29%, which would match income levels from 2008(Allowing for inflation).

The BMA is negotiating for more training opportunities to help resident doctors expand their knowledge and advance professionally.  As they’d had 30,000 doctors applying for 10,000 posts, (The Telegraph, 29^th of July 2025). Wes Streeting is actually willing to negotiate in this area. ([Opinion] the Guardian app. On the 31^{st of} July 2025)

According to BMA (BMA.org.uk), they're striking for a 29% pay rise to restore earnings to 2008 levels.   The government has offered 4% plus a consolidated £750.00. Which I guess comes to the 5.4% figure quoted earlier, (BMA.org.uk, 3 August 2025).

But Wes Streeting is adamant that there is no money available to be able offer more than 5.4% this year.

However, a point that has arisen, which has not been discussed here, that ther are many resident doctors that earn less than Associates, (PA’s) do in their first year, (BMA.org.uk, 3 August 2025). PA’s earn £24.00 per hour in their first year. ‘And this point really stings resident doctors’. The online article ‘Keeping up the fight’ (Pay and Contracts) by Ben Ireland states that a first-year resident doctor currently earns £17.56 per hour for the year 24/25. With a 4% increase plus an additional £750.00, the hourly pay would rise to £18.62.  FPR rate is £22.67 for 25/26.  In this article Doctor Doal states, “If you compare responsibilities that we have against PA’s, it is much greater. They should at least match ours with PA’s”.  Dr Cowdry adds that they, the doctors have 5 years of training in order to qualify. And that they, the doctors have higher debts than PA’s on a three-year course”.  It is his view that the fact that the PA’s start on higher pay illustrates that there is more money there to pay resident doctors fairly. It is perhaps important to repeat that even with pay restoration resident doctors will still earn less than a PA, (Dependent on the scale that they are on).

Perhaps this is something that should be considered when addressing the issue of pay for resident doctors.

Again, though Wes Streeting has not denied their reasoning. The BMA article states that he, Wes Streeting has agreed to the sentiment of pay restoration. But that it, ‘would be a journey, not an event’ when Labour took office.

Note: From going through the articles. Analysing percentage pay rises, the national living wage is £12.21 an hour,

 (As per the BMA article ‘Keeping up the fight’, by Ben Ireland on the 3^rd August 2025) The rate of inflation general pay rises in the public sector. The offer of 5.4%, which is on top of the 28.9% offered last year, which was spread over three years. Seems a decent offer, even though the rate of inflation is 3.6%.  If it was not for the pay disparity between resident doctors and PAs. With the disparity in the length of university study and pay, perhaps something in the way of a concrete timetable of pay rises for resident doctors until they reach the requested pay parity of 2008 could be feasible.

If further strikes occur, costly derogations—where doctors are paid extra to attend patients—will use funds that could have enhanced training opportunities, ultimately harming patients and creating a lose-lose scenario.  

                                                                                Appendix

BMA.org.uk                                        By Ben Ireland. https://www.thedoctor.bma.org.uk/articles/pay-contract/keeping-up-the-fight/

Independent                                     https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nhs-wes-streeeting-british-medical-association-government-hospitals-62798460-html

Opinion.                                              The Guardian App. 31^st July 2025.

The Telegraph                                   By Micheal Searles and Laura Donnelly

                                                                https://www.telgraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/2025/nhs-chief-accu

                                                                sses-bma-extortion-amid-strike-row/?