Ending junior doctor strikes “crucial first step to getting the NHS back on track”, says IPPR

Responding to reports of an expected pay offer struck by the BMA and the government worth around 22 per cent over two years, Dr Annie Williamson, research fellow at IPPR and practising NHS doctor, said:

“It is brilliant to see the genuine promise of resolving this pay dispute. An end to strikes is a crucial first step to getting the NHS back on track. Yet the government must also address the root cause of why they’ve happened in the first place.

“The way the government and NHS staff negotiate is broken. Pay review panels have no direct seat for unions or staff, so strikes become one of the only ways to negotiate, rather than a last resort. We need to fix the process to avoid ending up with more strikes in a year or a decade. Reform to give staff a true voice will mean a more sustainable NHS - that works better for patients and staff alike.”