Consultant doctors in England pause 25 and 26 November strike to begin formal pay talks
The two-day walkout would have left hospitals with emergency cover only, similar to Christmas Day staffing.
Senior hospital doctors in England will not strike on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 November after the British Medical Association (BMA) paused the action to enter formal negotiations with the government.
The union's consultants committee agreed the pause at an urgent meeting held after talks with the Health Secretary. The walkout had been due to run from 6.59am on 25 November to 6.59am on 27 November.
During the strike, consultants would have provided emergency care only, at a level the BMA compared to how hospitals are staffed on Christmas Day. The BBC reported that this was likely to have hit most routine and planned services.
What the talks will cover
Pay and working conditions are both on the table. The BMA said it had been assured there were no limits on what could be discussed. Talks could begin as soon as this week, according to the BBC.
The BMA's demands:
- it says consultants' pay has fallen by about a quarter in real terms over 17 years
- it wants a shorter standard working week
- it wants better recognition for the hardest out-of-hours work
- it wants more protected time for teaching, innovation and improving services
The BMA said the government had proposed a 2.4% rise for 2027/28 in its evidence to the independent pay review body, which the union regards as a real-terms cut.
Consultants secured a mandate for industrial action in a ballot in July. The BMA said it would call further action if the negotiations did not deal with the main issues quickly.
