Jessica O'ConnorThe Government has set out a package of reforms intended to ease England’s medical training bottlenecks and end the ongoing resident doctor strikes, while the British Medical Association (BMA) has confirmed it will consult members on whether the proposals are sufficient to pause the next round of industrial action.
Ministers announced that, as part of efforts to resolve the dispute, the Government will introduce emergency legislation in the New Year to prioritise UK and Republic of Ireland medical graduates, as well as doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period, for specialty training places.
The Department of Health and Social Care said this change is designed to address the sharp rise in competition ratios, which have left many UK-trained graduates without a clear route into training.
The offer also includes an expansion of specialty training places from the 1,000 outlined in the 10 Year Health Plan to 4,000 over the next three years, with those posts repurposed from existing locally employed doctor roles.
A thousand of the new places would be brought forward to start in 2026. The government has also proposed funding mandatory Royal College examination and membership fees for resident doctors and increasing the less than full-time allowance by 50%.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Doctors asked me to deliver on jobs, especially unfair competition from overseas, and this comprehensive offer will deliver – providing resident doctors currently applying with more jobs, prioritising UK-trained graduates, and putting money back in the pockets of resident doctors. It builds on a 28.9% pay rise which has already been delivered.
“We have been working around the clock to prepare emergency legislation to prioritise our homegrown talent and halve the competition for jobs that resident doctors currently face – that is now on the table. But it can only happen if resident doctors vote to accept the deal and end these strikes.”
He added: “I am appealing directly to Resident doctors, who now have an opportunity to vote for more jobs, better career opportunities, more money in their pockets, and to end the strikes. I urge them to vote for this deal.”
The BMA, however, has emphasised that while the offer represents movement from government, significant concerns remain.
The union will survey its resident doctor members in England, with the poll closing on 15th December, to determine whether to call off the strikes scheduled from 17th December.
If members indicate support for pausing the action, the BMA will hold a formal referendum on whether to accept the deal; if not, strikes will proceed as planned.
BMA resident doctors committee chair Dr Jack Fletcher said: “This offer is the result of thousands of resident doctors showing that they are prepared to stand up for their profession and its future.
“It should not have taken strike action, but make no mistake: it was strike action that got us this far.
“We have forced the Government to recognise the scale of the problems and to respond with measures on training numbers and prioritisation. However, this offer does not increase the overall number of doctors working in England and does nothing to restore pay for doctors, which remains well within the Government’s power to do.”
He continued: “After their strike action succeeded in moving the Government from offering 1,000 training jobs to 4,000, as well as a plan on prioritisation for UK graduates and those who have worked in the NHS for some time, as a member-led organisation we are giving resident doctors their say.
“If members believe this is enough to call off strike action then we will hold a referendum to end the dispute. But if they give us a clear message that it is not, the Government will have to go further to end industrial action.”
The outcome of the BMA’s consultation will determine whether the NHS faces significant disruption in the lead-up to Christmas or whether negotiations progress to a formal decision on ending the dispute.
