NHS consultants in England to strike for two days in November, BMA says

Senior NHS doctors in England will go on strike for two days in November, the British Medical Association (BMA) has announced. The industrial action by consultants is to begin at 6.59am on 25 November, with only emergency cover provided, The Guardian reports.

The Sun reports that thousands of consultants will walk out on 25 and 26 November, with hospitals operating staffing arrangements similar to Christmas Day. Consultants last walked out in England between July and October 2023.

The dispute centres on pay, pensions and working conditions. Consultants were given a 3.5 per cent pay increase this year, but the BMA says their pay has fallen by a quarter over the past 17 years once inflation is taken into account. Seventy-six per cent of consultants who took part in a BMA ballot in July voted in favour of strike action, The Times reports.

BMA consultants committee co-chairs Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta said consultants were central to running services and training the future workforce, and accused the government of ignoring concerns about wellbeing and workload. They said the BMA had been “forced to announce strikes” after ministers repeatedly delayed action.

The strike could still be avoided if Health Secretary Yvette Cooper commits to formal negotiations, the BMA said. Cooper said the government had been in “constructive discussions” with the BMA, called the announcement “disappointing”, and said strike action would be “irresponsible” and place the health service under greater pressure.

Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/26/nhs-consultants-two-day-doctors-strike-england-november-bma | https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/40809256/nhs-consultants-strike-days-england/ | https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/senior-doctors-strike-consultants-bma-november-25-f76j2g072