UK junior doctors declare strike after pay talks fail

LONDON: Resident doctors in England have announced a strike from 17 to 22 December, pressing the government to address their long-standing demands, according to media reports.

The head of the Resident Doctors Committee said the UK government has failed to deliver a meaningful increase in doctors’ pay and has not presented a credible plan to tackle the ongoing workforce crisis. He added that industrial action has become the only option left for doctors.

British media reported that resident doctors currently receive £15 per hour, a rate they have termed insufficient, prompting renewed calls for pay restoration.

This will be the 14th strike by resident doctors in support of their demands. Resident doctors make up nearly half of the NHS medical workforce, making the upcoming walkout a significant challenge for the already strained health system.