UK Resident Doctors Vote to Strike for Six Months: What’s Behind the Discontent?

In this episode, Alice and Lewis discuss the recent decision by resident doctors in England to vote overwhelmingly in favor of striking for six months. Just a year after agreeing to a pay deal with Health Secretary Wes Streeting, doctors are now demanding a 29% pay rise to address years of below-inflation salary increases. The British Medical Association reported that 90% of resident doctors supported the fresh walkouts with a 55% turnout. Lewis raises the question of what the doctors are asking for, and Alice explains the context of their demands, including the previous 22% pay rise over two years that ended a wave of strikes causing the cancellation of 1.5 million operations and appointments. The conversation delves into the potential impact of these strikes on the government's plan to reduce waiting times and the challenges ahead for both the doctors and the government in finding a resolution.