The Department of Health and Social Care and Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray have announced that resident doctors have accepted a government offer, ending 21 days of resident doctor strike action organised by the British Medical Association since July 2025.
The offer was accepted following a vote by resident doctors represented by the British Medical Association Resident Doctor Committee. The announcement was published on 29 June 2026 and sets out changes to pay, training access and working conditions.
The government said it will continue working with the BMA and other stakeholders to implement the deal. The conclusion of the dispute is expected to allow the NHS to focus on patient care, staff conditions and service recovery rather than managing further strike action.
Resident Doctors Deal Ends Strike Action
Resident doctors have voted to accept the government offer, ending industrial action by the BMA Resident Doctor Committee. The dispute involved 21 days of strikes since July 2025, with the Department of Health and Social Care saying the agreement will support a more stable period for the NHS.
Ministers said the deal marks the start of a new working relationship with resident doctors and their representatives. It said patients, staff and services benefit when unions and government work together to resolve disputes.
- Strike period: Resident doctor action took place across 21 days since July 2025.
- Accepted offer: BMA resident doctors voted to accept the government deal.
- NHS focus: Services can move away from strike management and back to recovery work.
What The Agreement Means For Doctors
The agreement includes a new pay structure for resident doctors and changes intended to support career progression. Under the agreement resident doctor pay will be 35.2% higher on average compared with four years ago.
The revised pay structure is designed to provide more frequent salary progression as doctors advance through training and acquire new skills. The Department of Health and Social Care said these changes are intended to support doctors as they rotate, train and develop long-term careers in the NHS.
Resident Doctors Deal Summary
| Area | Measure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | 35.2% higher | Average rise compared with four years ago. |
| Progression | New structure | More frequent wage movement during training. |
| Costs | Fees reimbursed | Mandatory portfolio and exam costs covered. |
Training Places And Career Progression
Up to 4,500 additional training places will be created under the agreement. The government said this will give more resident doctors the opportunity to progress into more senior roles.
The department said competition rates for training places have already halved this year. It linked this to urgent legislation introduced to prioritise UK graduates and doctors who have spent a substantial period working in the NHS.
Costs And Working Conditions
The deal will reimburse mandatory Royal College portfolio fees and mandatory examination costs. Officials said these costs are often worth thousands of pounds and will put money back into resident doctors’ pockets.
The agreement also includes improved conditions for Locally Employed Doctors and doctors working Less Than Full Time. These measures sit alongside the pay and training changes included in the accepted offer.
- Royal College costs: Mandatory portfolio fees will be reimbursed.
- Exam costs: Mandatory examination fees will also be covered.
- Working patterns: The deal includes improvements for LEDs and LTFT doctors.
Impact On Patients And NHS Services
Ending the dispute allows the NHS to focus on patient care, workforce stability and service recovery rather than planning for further industrial action. It said further strike action would have continued to disrupt appointments, procedures and service planning.
Each day of resident doctor strike action costs the NHS around £50 million, according to the government. It said the cost of settling the dispute is a fraction of the cost of ongoing industrial action.
NHS Service Impact
| Indicator | Detail | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Strike cost | £50 million daily | Estimated NHS cost per strike day. |
| Waiting lists | 400,000 lower | Compared with June 2024. |
| Disruption | Appointments affected | Further action would cancel activity. |
Stakeholder Comments
Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray said;
“This is very good news for resident doctors, patients and the NHS as a whole, allowing us to draw a line under the disruption of previous months and focus on getting on with the job of rebuilding our health service.”
“Because of this deal, resident doctors will benefit from a new pay structure, better career progression opportunities and a range of other improved conditions to support them as they rotate and train. Patients will be relieved that the NHS is entering a period of greater stability.”
NHS National Medical Director Professor Frankie Swords said;
“It’s great news for patients and the NHS that resident doctors have accepted this offer. This means the NHS can focus on providing high quality care for patients and the best working environment for all of our staff – including important improvements for resident doctors – and we can avoid further disruption from strikes.”
Wider NHS Workforce Reform
The government said it remains committed to improving working conditions for all NHS staff. The NHS Staff Council has been issued with a mandate to negotiate changes to the Agenda for Change pay structure.
Those negotiations are intended to address pay structure issues for nurses, midwives and paramedics. Ministers said it has also been working with trade unions on consultant contract reform and SAS career progression.
The agreement ends resident doctor strike action while introducing changes to pay, training opportunities, professional costs and working conditions. Alongside resolving the immediate dispute, The department said wider NHS workforce negotiations will continue across Agenda for Change, consultant contracts and specialist career progression, allowing greater focus on patient care and service recovery.
Sources: Department of Health and Social Care and The Rt Hon James Murray MP.
Prepared by Ivan Alexander Golden, Founder of THX News, an independent news organisation delivering timely insights from global official sources. Combines AI-analysed research with human-edited accuracy and context.
