Wes Streeting vows resistance as five-day doctor strikes begin

Health Secretary Criticizes Doctors’ Union Leaders Ahead of Strike

Wes Streeting, the UK’s Health Secretary, has launched a strong critique against the leaders of the striking doctors union, accusing them of acting in bad faith or being too weak to control their members. The five-day walkout by resident doctors is expected to cause significant disruption and "untold misery" for patients.

Streeting expressed frustration with the British Medical Association (BMA) during an interview with the Mail, stating he would not give in to what he called "unreasonable" demands. He emphasized that the BMA cannot hold the country to ransom. The Health Secretary had believed that union leaders were open to further discussions, which could have led to a pause in the strike. However, the BMA's resident doctors committee abruptly ended negotiations on Tuesday and announced they would proceed with the strike.

This move was described as "unprecedented" by Streeting, given that the union had already secured inflation-busting pay rises totaling 28.9% over three years. He criticized the union officials for either failing to represent their members effectively or deliberately misleading them. Streeting suggested that such behavior risks damaging the reputation of the broader trade union movement.

He also called on the BMA to apologize to patients who may suffer due to the cancellation of appointments and treatments. Streeting noted that the union seems to have lost sight of its core responsibility: "Do No Harm." Up to 50,000 resident doctors are set to strike starting at 7am on Friday, demanding an additional 29% pay increase.

Despite refusing to meet the pay demands, Streeting offered other financial concessions, including support for the cost of exams, equipment, and training. However, he recently revealed that the financial impact of the strikes—estimated to be "hundreds of millions of pounds"—means he can no longer fund the previous offers aimed at resolving the dispute.

Streeting urged doctors who disagree with the BMA’s militant stance to "do the right thing and turn up for work." He emphasized that the government will not cave into the kind of militancy displayed by the union, warning that doing so would set a dangerous precedent.

He criticized the BMA for using "hardline tactics" that punish patients without justification. While the government is working to mitigate the impact of the strikes, Streeting acknowledged that there will be serious consequences for patients waiting for appointments and treatments. Having personally experienced kidney cancer, he understands the anxiety that comes with waiting for medical procedures.

Streeting highlighted that the BMA appears to have forgotten the fundamental principle of medicine: "Do No Harm." He admitted that he cannot guarantee that no patients will come to harm, but stressed that the NHS is working diligently to avoid such scenarios.

The Health Secretary also addressed the union leaders with whom he had been negotiating, noting that they gave the impression of wanting to negotiate a letter that would delay the strike. However, the committee rejected the proposal unanimously, leaving Streeting questioning their integrity. He argued that it is impossible to negotiate with union leaders who are either weak or misleading.

He questioned why the union would lead its members out on strike, knowing the harm it would cause to patients and the NHS. Hospitals are now trying to minimize cancellations by spreading staff more thinly to keep essential services running.

Streeting has even canceled plans to attend a friend’s wedding abroad this weekend to monitor the impact of the strikes from the NHS Operational Command Centre and hospitals. He thanked NHS staff who have also canceled leave to cover for striking doctors. However, he warned consultants against being greedy with their overtime rates after the BMA suggested charging £6,000 for on-call cover over the weekend.