The NHS is bracing for rolling strike action by doctors throughout 2026, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting casting doubt on whether a deal with the British Medical Association (BMA) can be reached.
NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackey warned hospital leaders the union could escalate industrial action to one strike "every four weeks" over the next year.
The six-day walkout will begin at 7am on Tuesday, immediately after the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Junior doctors have already staged 59 days of strikes since March 2023, with their current mandate for further action lasting until August, when members are expected to vote again.
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Consultants are also being balloted on whether to join their junior colleagues on picket lines this summer.
Senior NHS figures now appear to be preparing for a prolonged dispute.
Sir Jim said the health service must become "less reliant" on doctors to cope with what he described as a "long slog" of strikes.
Hospitals are accelerating plans to restructure services so nurses and healthcare assistants can step in to fill gaps left by striking staff, he told the Health Service Journal.
Junior doctors have already staged 59 days of strikes since March 2023
| GETTYDespite securing a 28.9 per cent pay rise since their first walkout, resident doctors last week rejected an above-inflation offer from Mr Streeting, insisting on a further 26 per cent increase.
In a letter to BMA leader Dr Jack Fletcher, the Health Secretary said it was increasingly unclear how an agreement could be reached.
"I had expected the BMA to at least come back with a counterproposal to end these strikes, given your stated commitment to reaching a negotiated settlement.
"You could not agree one. If members of your committee cannot reach an agreed position among themselves, it is hard to see how the Government will be able to reach an agreement with your committee."
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Sir Jim Mackey warned hospital leaders the union could escalate industrial action to one strike 'every four weeks'
| GETTYHe added: "You had the option this week to call off strike action and either accept this offer, or to make a counterproposal.
"I am sorry you have done neither."
Mr Streeting said the Government had been "more than reasonable" in negotiations since taking office in 2024.
"My focus, sadly, now must pivot to supporting the operational response to next week's planned action and prioritising negotiations with other parts of the NHS workforce," he said.
Mr Streeting said the Government had been 'more than reasonable' in negotiations
| PAHe also confirmed that 1,000 additional resident doctor posts planned for this year would no longer go ahead, describing the BMA as "delusional" for expecting the offer to remain.
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer gave the union a 48-hour ultimatum to call off strikes or lose a pledge of 4,500 new roles over three years.
The BMA hit back, accusing ministers of using doctors’ jobs as a "pawn" in negotiations.
The union fumed that "threatening political rhetoric around jobs has been deeply unhelpful".
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