Streeting hits out BMA’s ‘juvenile delinquency’ over Christmas doctors’ strikes
Wes Streeting accused him of “juvenile delinquency” after the British Medical Association announced doctors in England would go on strike for five consecutive days ahead of Christmas.
The health minister described the strike as “irresponsible”, saying striking before Christmas was “a risk of a different magnitude” compared to previous strikes.
The strike will run from 7am on 17 December until 22 December, with the union accusing the government of failing to make “sufficient progress towards a workable agreement on jobs and wages”.
Asked whether patients would die as a result of industrial action, Mr Streeting told Sky News: “I don’t want to be a doomsayer about it, but it’s a different set of risks and I’m really worried.”
He said he “absolutely” had the problem with the BMA, adding: “Whether it’s the rhetoric and behavior around general practice or a new round of unnecessary strike action… we’ve seen an epidemic of juvenile delinquency in the BMA and it’s irresponsible because we know the NHS is under real pressure.”
The health secretary also took aim at the union over a dispute over online access to GP surgeries.
From 1 October, the government has forced all GP practices in England to introduce online booking systems during prime hours of 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
But the BMA is formally at loggerheads with the government over the changes, which it says put patients at risk.
Mr Streeting said the BMA was “sitting in the corner like whimpering little ones while its members are doing a really good job working with the government to improve patient care and experience”.
He said: “You might think that I would be asking the BMA to drag GPs kicking and screaming to deliver something that most services now provide – online access in the 21st century.
“In fact, the opposite has happened. GPs have responded. They are ready for it too. 98.7 per cent of practices now provide online access. This must be really great news.”
Experts expect Christmas strike action to put “intense” pressure on services due to rising flu cases and staff illnesses, but medics say they are left with “no choice”.
Chairman of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, Dr. Jack Fletcher said: “As the government has failed to put forward a credible plan to solve the jobs crisis for junior doctors and is also pushing for real pay cuts for them, we have no choice but to announce further strike dates.
“But there is no need for this to continue. It is in the hands of this government to gradually increase salaries over a few years and make some common sense fixes for the job security of our doctors.”
Previous junior doctor strikes took place between 25-30 July and 14-19 November.
Last month’s strike was the 13th since March 2023, while the summer strike is estimated to cost the health service £300 million.
