NHS Faces Spring Strikes: Junior Doctors, Nurses Demand Pay Reform

March 25, 2025: The NHS is bracing for a fresh wave of industrial action this spring as junior doctors and nurses announce coordinated strikes over pay and working conditions. The British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have both confirmed walkouts after breakdowns in negotiations with the government, citing continued real-terms pay erosion and staffing pressures.

Junior doctors are set to strike for several days in April following a series of earlier actions that failed to produce a resolution. The BMA is demanding a pay restoration package to reverse what it describes as over a decade of below-inflation increases, amounting to a 26% loss in actual earnings since 2008. Doctors say current pay rates drive talent out of the NHS and into the private sector or overseas.

Nurses represented by the RCN will join with parallel strike action across multiple NHS trusts, arguing that the current pay offer fails to reflect the rising cost of living and workload intensification. Many frontline staff report unsustainable patient ratios, extended shifts without proper breaks, and chronic vacancies in critical departments.

The government maintains that the most recent pay proposals are both fair and fiscally responsible, citing constraints in public spending and the need to prioritize broader health system reforms. Ministers have warned that agreeing to the union’s demands would set a precedent with long-term financial implications.

Health service leaders are preparing contingency plans to minimize disruption, including prioritization of emergency care, rescheduling elective procedures, and deploying non-striking clinical staff. NHS England has warned that patient backlogs could worsen significantly if the strikes proceed, particularly in already overburdened specialties such as cancer treatment and A&E.

Public sentiment is divided. Polling indicates moderate support for healthcare worker demands but growing frustration with repeated service disruptions. Political pressure is building on the government to propose a revised framework that balances fiscal discipline with workforce retention.

If no agreement is reached by mid-spring, unions have signaled further escalation, including potential cross-union coordination with other public sector workers.