Thousands of Junior Doctors in England Strike over Pay Dispute

Thousands of junior doctors across England have launched a five-day strike over pay, marking one of the longest walkouts in the history of the NHS.

The industrial action, which began on Friday, is expected to cause widespread disruption to patient care throughout the country.

The striking doctors, who are in the early stages of their medical careers and form the backbone of hospital and clinic operations, staged pickets outside NHS facilities after talks with the government collapsed.

The National Health Service confirmed that emergency departments will remain open during the strike, while hospitals and clinics will make every effort to maintain scheduled appointments and offer care to as many patients as possible.

The British Medical Association (BMA), representing the junior doctors, is demanding pay increases to restore earnings that it says have been eroded by more than 20 percent in real terms since 2008 due to inflation.

Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Newbould, co-chairs of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, highlighted that the pay gap has now widened to the extent that physician associates could earn 30 percent more than junior doctors in some cases.

The government has warned that the strike will significantly impact healthcare services and patient waiting times, calling on doctors to return to negotiations. However, the BMA insists that fair pay is essential to retain talent and ensure safe staffing levels within the NHS.