The latest five-day strike by resident doctors in England, which began at 7 a.m. on November 14, 2025, has sent ripples through the National Health Service (NHS) and the broader political landscape. This industrial action, set to continue until 7 a.m. on November 19, has reignited fierce debate about pay, working conditions, and the future of one of the UK’s most cherished institutions. The walkout, involving thousands of resident doctors, is the latest in a series of strikes that have cumulatively spanned over 50 days since 2023, as reported by The Independent and GB News.
At the heart of the dispute is pay. Resident doctors argue that their salaries have not kept pace with inflation or matched 2008 levels in real terms, despite a recent 29% pay rise. Now, they are demanding a further 26% increase, a figure that has drawn sharp criticism from government officials and some media personalities. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has openly advised doctors not to participate in the strike, warning that such action holds patients "to ransom." According to GB News, media commentator Nana Akua was even more blunt, branding the strike "just greed" and "unfair."
The frustration among doctors, however, runs much deeper than pay alone. Arthur Joustra, a resident doctor in Nottingham, told The Independent that many of his colleagues, despite seven years of taxpayer-subsidised training, are facing unemployment or are choosing to leave the NHS for Australia, where working conditions and compensation are reportedly better. "The system is better for doctors working out there, in terms of the strains and also the pay," Joustra explained.
On the picket lines, the mood is one of determination but also of exhaustion and concern for the future. Doctors speaking with the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) described a profession under siege: pay erosion, impossible workloads, and a training system that locks out tens of thousands of qualified doctors. Adam, a striking doctor at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, summed up the predicament: "Doctor’s pay has fallen the most out of all public sector workers. Currently our pay is 21 percent below what it should [be] compared in real terms in 2008. The second reason why we’re here is because of the lack of jobs. This year alone we had 30,000 doctors apply for just 10,000 training posts. We’ve got 20,000 doctors who are locked out of training."
These challenges have tangible impacts on patient care. Dr. Alex Bolton, working in Accident & Emergency at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, painted a stark picture: "Every day when I go into work I see patients who have been waiting tens of hours to see a doctor, who are laid in the corridor, and these are people who could be your daughters, your husbands, your grandparents. The pay is important because we need doctors to be valued in the UK, so they don’t leave the country, and the jobs are important so that we have enough doctors who are employed to look after these patients."
Despite the walkout, NHS leaders have praised the resilience and adaptability of the health service. In a letter to NHS leaders, Sir James commended staff for their "heroic efforts" in maintaining at least 95% of planned activity during the strike, a goal set by NHS England. "It’s a genuinely impressive response to everything you’ve had to contend with," he wrote, as reported by The Times. Early signs indicate that fewer resident doctors are striking compared to previous rounds of industrial action, with about half of doctors reportedly defying the strike call, according to The Times.
Yet, the financial and operational strain is undeniable. The NHS Confederation and NHS Providers have warned that continued strikes could force cuts to frontline staff, tests, appointments, and operations. The July 2025 five-day strike alone cost the NHS an estimated £300 million and led to over 54,000 cancelled or rescheduled procedures, according to The Times. NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor cautioned, "There is no doubt that patients will bear the brunt of this disruption, with tens of thousands of tests, appointments and operations likely to be delayed or cancelled."
As the NHS faces an early flu season and increased staff sickness, the ability to fill rota gaps becomes even more challenging. Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, remarked, "Another strike would be disruptive, divisive and costly. It would trample on the green shoots of recovery we’re starting to see in the NHS. Even now, there’s a chance to step back. Patients need to know every avenue was explored to stop another walkout. They are the ones who will bear the heaviest price of a failure to fix this dispute."
Public opinion among doctors themselves appears divided. A Savanta survey cited by The Times found that only 33% of resident doctors agreed the strike should proceed, while 49% thought it should have been called off and 19% were unsure. This internal split reflects the complexity of the dispute and the range of views within the profession.
For many patients, the experience during the strike has been surprisingly normal, thanks in part to the NHS’s diverse and international workforce. As one commentator recounted in The National, "The staff is composed of talents from many countries. On Friday, I was triaged by a nurse from Africa, European anaesthetist, ward staff from Asia, surgeon from a south Asian background and finally discharged by staff from Caribbean origins. This is taking the best from the world to provide me with the care I need."
The Labour government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, finds itself in a precarious position. With the NHS accounting for over 10% of UK GDP and projected to consume half of all government departmental spending by 2029, according to the Resolution Foundation, the stakes are high. Wes Streeting’s 10-year transformation plan for the NHS aims to boost productivity and improve patient flow, but the ongoing strikes threaten to undermine these reforms and public confidence.
Beyond pay and working conditions, doctors on the picket lines voiced concerns about creeping privatisation, underfunding, and broader social issues, including inequality and the scapegoating of immigrants. As one doctor at Leeds General Infirmary put it, "We are portrayed as greedy doctors, and it’s just not the case. My biggest fear is not having a job after seven years. And I think once you take the time to sit with your colleagues and tell them, they are really shocked that’s even the case because they’re crying out for doctors."
As the strike heads into its final days, the future of the NHS—and the doctors who keep it running—remains uncertain. What is clear is that the current dispute is about far more than pay; it’s a battle over the direction and values of the UK’s health service at a crucial juncture.
