Patients Association Raises Concerns Over Upcoming Five-Day Resident Doctors’ Strike
In anticipation of the scheduled resident doctors’ industrial action between November 14th and 19th, the Patients Association has expressed serious concerns about the potential impact on patients. The strike, which comes at a time when the NHS is facing one of the toughest winters in history, could have devastating consequences for patients.
The current state of an overburdened NHS is already taking a toll on patients, with reports of deteriorating conditions on trolleys, compromised care in overcrowded wards, and lengthy delays for essential tests and treatments. A five-day strike will only exacerbate these issues, leaving patients to bear the consequences of a system that is struggling to meet their needs. Despite the constant talk of prioritizing patients, it is clear that they are the ones paying the price.
The summer’s strike action saw patients sharing their stories of cancelled appointments at short notice, after waiting for months to receive treatment. One patient, who had been told their procedure was urgent and needed to be completed within 8 weeks, had their appointment cancelled due to the strike. This left them in a state of fear, not knowing if they would lose sight in one eye due to the resident doctors’ strike.
The potential of yet another strike has already caused anxiety and distress for patients and their caregivers. If the resident doctors go through with their planned strike, patients will once again have to bear the consequences. These consequences will have long-term effects, as the strike will create a backlog of delays that could extend well into the new year. With hospitals already struggling to manage the surge in flu admissions, which have increased by 60% in just one week, patients will face even longer waits for their appointments and treatments. This delay will have a significant impact on their health and well-being, as many patients have already spent excessive amounts of time on waiting lists or in urgent and emergency care waiting rooms.
While the government’s latest offer has been rejected by the British Medical Association (BMA), the Patients Association understands that resident doctors feel their concerns have not been addressed. However, it must be made clear that choosing to strike for five days at this critical juncture will cause immense harm to patients.
While emergency care will be prioritized during the strike, many elective procedures, some of which may be urgent for patients, will once again be cancelled. This will add several months to the already unacceptable waiting times for patients. The Patients Association calls on the BMA to reconsider their decision to strike and return to negotiations. We also urge the government to initiate immediate independent arbitration to break the deadlock. Without these actions, patients will suffer the consequences of a dispute that is not of their making. Every statistic represents a person – a friend, a family member – who could be facing a life-threatening situation. Patients deserve better.
In a speech at The King’s Fund annual conference on November 6th, 2025, Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive at NHS England, stated, “There’s no doubt this winter will be one of the toughest our staff have ever faced.” Additionally, the UK Health Security Agency reported on November 6th that “the overall weekly hospital admission rate for influenza hospitalizations was increasing at 3.81 per 100,000 compared with 2.44 per 100,000 in the previous week.”
For interviews, comments, or additional information, please contact media@patients.association.org.uk.
About the Patients Association:
The Patients Association is an independent patient charity advocating for improvements in health and social care for patients. We believe that patients should play an active role in decisions made about their care and the design of the health and care system. As a charity, we work to improve the system by partnering with patients. Through our helpline and information services, we provide support and information to thousands of people each year, empowering them to advocate for themselves.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.