Junior Doctors on strike across the UK

We're being told to expect a reduced service

BMA picket line
Published 20th Dec 2023

Junior doctors in England are on their 26th day of strike action over pay, causing major disruptions to health services across the country.

This is the first day in a three-day walkout which will se more senior doctors brought in as emergency cover.

BMA Union members can be seen on picket lines across the country.

Over 1.1 million appointments and treatments have been cancelled in the past year due to NHS strike actions.

This strike precedes a six-day strike in January, the longest in NHS history. Talks between the British Medical Association and the government broke down earlier this month. The strikes compound the challenges faced by the NHS during the holiday season, with only four weekdays unaffected by holidays or industrial action in the next three weeks.

We've been speaking to some of those out on strike.

Some A&E services are closing during the strikes. The BMA rejected a plea to downgrade the strike to a partial walkout, causing concerns about risks to patients, particularly the elderly, during the festive period.

Hear the latest news from across the UK every hour, on Planet Rock on DAB, smartspeaker, and on the Rayo app.