Revealed: £3 billion cost to NHS of striking doctors as new six day walkout begins

D octors’ strikes have cost hospitals more than £3 billion in three years, the NHS has said as a fresh six day walkout began today.

Resident doctors in England, formerly known as junior doctors, began their industrial action at 7am.

Strikes have high costs for the NHS , resulting in cancelled procedures, and paying consultants up to £313 per hour in order to cover shifts.

Health commentators suggest that strikes can cost up to £50m a day and this is the 15th round of industrial action by resident doctors in England since 2023.

Estimates reported by the Mail say a £3 billion sum could pay for three new hospitals, 75,000 nurses a year over 1 million operations and 15 million outpatient appointments.

Officials in the NHS said this week’s strike is expected to be “difficult”, but patients have been urged to come forward as normal.

“We know this round of industrial action will be difficult, coming straight after the Easter weekend, but patients should come forward as normal and attend any appointments unless they are contacted otherwise,” NHS England’s Professor Ramani Moonesinghe said on Monday.

The walkout will be "challenging due to the shorter notice period" and the actions taking place during the Easter holiday, when many NHS staff have time booked off.

Urgent and emergency care will run as usual, and NHS England said it will keep as much pre-planned care running as it can.

Patients should attend appointments unless they have been contacted and informed otherwise.

An offer from the Government, published by Health Secretary Wes Streeting last month, included a 4.9% increase in average basic pay from 2026 to next year.

This would have left resident doctors 35.2% better off than four years ago, according to Mr Streeting.

An offer of 1,000 extra training places was also included, but that was taken off the table last Thursday.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it was no longer “financially or operationally” possible as the health service prepares to deal with industrial action.

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The offer was rejected by the British Medical Association’s ( BMA ) resident doctors committee.

The chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, Dr Jack Fletcher, said the Government “quietly watered down” the deal that was offered.

“Resident doctors are as keen as he is to bring an end to the strikes, but his Government needs to put an offer on the table that we can accept and which doesn’t change at the last minute,” he said.

Mr Streeting called the strike “disappointing” and said: “My attention and that of leaders across the NHS is now on protecting patients and staff by minimising disruption to the health service.”
Writing in the Daily Express, Mr Streeting said he would “not allow this needless strike action to undermine our country’s greatest institution”.

He wrote: “Strikes will mean some cancelled appointments, but… the Government is working with NHS teams across the country to minimise disruption and ensure people can access the care they need.”
Hundreds of BMA staff are already on strike after 48-hour industrial action began on Monday.

Senior medics are also set to be balloted on industrial action after a 3.5% pay award was announced by ministers.

There will be simultaneous ballots of consultants and specialist, associate specialist and specialities (SAS) doctors that will run from May 11 until July 6.