London: Hospital consultants in England are planning a two day strike on November 25 and 26 over a proposed pay increase and concerns about working conditions, raising the possibility of disruption to National Health Service (NHS) services during the winter period.
The British Medical Association (BMA), the trade union representing doctors, announced the planned industrial action on Monday. The union said the strike could still be avoided if the government agreed to adequately funded formal negotiations on pay and working conditions.
The dispute centres on the government's proposed 2.4 per cent pay increase for doctors for the 2027 to 2028 financial year. The BMA argues that the proposal does not adequately address the decline in doctors' earnings after accounting for inflation or the pressures faced by hospital consultants.
The strike is scheduled to begin at 6.59 am on November 25 and end at 6.59 am on November 27. It will involve hospital consultants, who are senior doctors responsible for specialist patient care and other important clinical duties.
The announcement comes as the NHS prepares for the winter months, when hospitals often face increased demand for healthcare services. However, the final impact of the planned strike on patients and hospitals remains unclear.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper described the announcement as disappointing and urged the BMA to continue discussions with the government rather than proceed with industrial action during the winter period. The government has said that discussions with the union have been constructive.
The government has also argued that the proposed pay increase can be accommodated alongside its wider commitments to the health service. However, the BMA maintains that the current approach does not provide a sufficient basis for resolving the dispute.
Inflation is a central issue in the disagreement. The UK's annual consumer price inflation rate reached 3.5 per cent in September 2026, up from 3.1 per cent in August, according to official figures.
The proposed 2.4 per cent increase is below the latest reported annual inflation rate. However, the September figure covers the previous 12 months, while the proposed pay increase relates to the 2027 to 2028 financial year. The comparison alone does not establish the actual effect of the future pay award on doctors' purchasing power.
The BMA has also estimated that consultants' pay has fallen by about 25 per cent in real terms over the past 17 years. The figure reflects the union's assessment of changes in earnings after accounting for inflation.
Beyond pay, consultants have raised concerns about workload, working hours and the conditions under which they provide care. The BMA is seeking more protected time for teaching, innovation and improving NHS services. It has also called for better recognition of demanding work outside standard hours.
The union argues that these issues affect the ability of hospitals to retain experienced doctors and maintain effective services. It wants the government to enter formal negotiations to address the concerns.
The BMA has said emergency medical cover will continue during the planned strike, with arrangements similar to those used on Christmas Day. However, this does not mean that all hospital services will operate normally.
Some routine appointments, planned operations and follow up care could be delayed or rescheduled, depending on local arrangements. The scale of any disruption has not yet been established, and patients may receive further information from their local NHS trusts as the strike dates approach.
There is still time for further discussions before the action begins. Reports indicate that the government has offered the BMA a meeting on November 5 to discuss whether formal negotiations should take place. The meeting should not be taken as confirmation that substantive negotiations have already been agreed.
The current dispute involves hospital consultants and is separate from the earlier industrial action by resident doctors, another group within the medical workforce. In June 2026, the government announced that resident doctors had voted to accept an offer intended to resolve their separate dispute.
The consultants' dispute has continued since 2025, and the latest announcement indicates that disagreements over pay and working conditions remain unresolved for this group.
For patients, the immediate concern is whether the planned action will affect appointments and treatment in November. Although emergency cover is expected to continue, people awaiting routine care may face changes if the strike goes ahead.
The government and the BMA now have until November 25 to seek an agreement. Whether further discussions can resolve the disagreement will determine if the planned strike proceeds and how NHS services are affected.