Health

NHS training backlog and pay disputes ignite junior doctors' nationwide strike

Friday, 14 November 2025 5:04AM UTC

A nationwide strike by junior doctors is demanding urgent action on NHS training bottlenecks and significant pay rises, as many face job insecurity and financial hardship amid systemic workforce challenges.

Dr Jacob McSweeney, a 25-year-old doctor from Lancaster, faces unemployment despite a growing shortage of clinicians within the NHS. Having completed his initial two years of postgraduate medical training, he now finds himself without a permanent post due to a significant "bottleneck" in the NHS training pathway that affects some 20,000 young doctors across England. These doctors are caught in limbo, unable to secure speciality training places, which are essential to progress towards becoming consultants, a process that can span up to eight years. McSweeney has been resorting to irregular locum shifts to cover temporary staff shortages, but even these opportunities are scarce given the high demand among his peers for limited work. The uncertainty and inability to guarantee a stable income have caused considerable distress for him, with concerns about meeting basic commitments like rent payments. He describes the situation as “a punch to the stomach,” especially after dedicating two years of service to the NHS.

This bottleneck is a key grievance driving the British Medical Association’s (BMA) five-day nationwide strike starting from 7am on November 14, 2025. Alongside demanding fair pay, the BMA is calling attention to the failure to provide sufficient training and job opportunities for junior doctors. According to NHS data, despite a 10-year plan announced earlier in 2025 that pledged the addition of 1,000 training places by 2028, the demand far exceeds supply. This year alone, more than 30,000 applicants competed for only 10,000 available posts at the two-year training stage, including many doctors trained abroad. McSweeney and others are urging for a guarantee of jobs for UK-trained doctors who have already invested years in NHS service.

The pay dispute compounds these employment challenges. The BMA reports that doctors’ salaries have eroded drastically in real terms, with resident doctor pay down by over 20% since 2008 according to the Retail Price Index (RPI) measure of inflation. Surveys conducted by the BMA reveal stark financial hardships: nearly half of resident doctors struggle to pay rent or mortgages, and over 50% find it difficult to cover utility bills. The union is demanding a 26–29% pay rise to restore salaries to 2008 levels and better reflect the skills, training, and risks faced by medical professionals. This demand follows a contentious pay agreement last year that saw a 22% increase over several years, but which many doctors now feel falls short, particularly in light of the latest 5.4% pay offer for 2025/26.

The government and Health Minister Wes Streeting have called the strike “unreasonable and unnecessary,” highlighting that pay has improved in recent years and that the latest deal reflects a fair offer. However, the BMA maintains that the recent proposals do not adequately compensate for over a decade of pay stagnation, nor address the workforce shortages and training place bottlenecks that threaten the sustainability of the NHS.

The impact of these challenges extends beyond pay and job security; it affects the morale and future commitment of young doctors. McSweeney emphasises the emotional toll, noting the difficulty of striking for medical professionals who deeply value their vocation but feel increasingly undervalued and frustrated by systemic failings. The BMA warns that without urgent changes, the NHS workforce risk shrinking further, which could compromise patient care and the ability to meet rising health demands.

Overall, the strike is emblematic of broader systemic problems within the NHS related to workforce planning, remuneration, and investment in training pathways. While the government has signalled incremental improvements, many doctors remain unconvinced that these will be sufficient to reverse years of decline in working conditions and career prospects.

📌 Reference Map:

^[1] (Mirror) - Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10
^[2] (Reuters) - Paragraphs 2, 5, 8, 9
^[3] (BMA Autumn Budget Report 2024) - Paragraph 6
^[4] (BMA CSR 2025 Submission) - Paragraph 6
^[5] (BMA DDRB Evidence 2022-23) - Paragraph 6
^[6] (BMA DDRB Evidence 2025-26) - Paragraph 6, 7

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/im-doctor-cant-nhs-job-36243050 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/englands-junior-doctors-begin-five-day-walkout-2025-11-14/ - Junior doctors in England are set to begin a five-day strike starting at 0700 GMT on November 14, 2025, citing frustrations over job insecurity and stagnant pay. Their union, the British Medical Association (BMA), criticised the government for failing to offer a 'credible plan' to tackle unemployment among new medical graduates and years of real-term wage declines. Despite a 22% pay agreement reached last year with the newly elected Labour government, dissatisfaction arose after only a 5.4% increase was proposed in the latest pay round. The BMA is demanding a 29% rise to restore pay to 2008 levels and address staff shortages that leave many second-year doctors unable to find jobs. The BMA contends that the conditions in the NHS have significantly deteriorated, affecting both doctors' welfare and patient care. Health Minister Wes Streeting described the planned strike as 'unreasonable and unnecessary,' but the BMA has warned that only a substantial offer could prevent or end the walkout. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/englands-junior-doctors-begin-five-day-walkout-2025-11-14/?utm_source=openai))
https://www.bma.org.uk/media/f4rl0iqm/bma-autumn-budget-representation-2024.pdf - The British Medical Association (BMA) highlights significant real-term pay cuts for doctors over the past decade and a half, with earnings declining by over 30% since 2008/09. A 2022 BMA survey revealed that 45% of resident doctors struggled to pay their rent or mortgage, and 50.6% faced difficulties with utility bills. The BMA argues that doctors' pay no longer reflects their skills and experience compared to other highly qualified professionals, and that recent pay scale reforms only partially address this issue. ([bma.org.uk](https://www.bma.org.uk/media/f4rl0iqm/bma-autumn-budget-representation-2024.pdf?utm_source=openai))
https://www.bma.org.uk/media/z3fdtoke/bma-csr-2025-submission.pdf - The British Medical Association (BMA) reports that doctors have experienced a real-term pay decline of over 30% since 2008/09. A 2022 BMA survey showed that 45% of resident doctors struggled to pay their rent or mortgage, and 50.6% had difficulty paying utility bills. The BMA emphasizes that doctors' pay is no longer commensurate with their skills and experience compared to other highly qualified professionals, and that recent pay scale reforms only partially address this issue. ([bma.org.uk](https://www.bma.org.uk/media/z3fdtoke/bma-csr-2025-submission.pdf?utm_source=openai))
https://www.bma.org.uk/media/5713/bma-ddrb-evidence-submission-2022-23.pdf - The British Medical Association (BMA) reports that since the financial crisis in 2008, doctors have faced repeated pay freezes, pay caps, and sub-inflationary pay uplifts, leading to a significant decline in real-term pay. For example, a consultant's pay in 2021/22 was £23,027 less than if it had kept pace with the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation. The BMA emphasizes the need for a significant pay award to address this erosion and maintain the medical workforce in Wales. ([bma.org.uk](https://www.bma.org.uk/media/5713/bma-ddrb-evidence-submission-2022-23.pdf?utm_source=openai))
https://www.bma.org.uk/media/saajzypc/bma-evidence-submission-to-the-ddrb-202526-dec-update.pdf - The British Medical Association (BMA) reports that resident doctors' pay remains 20.8% lower in real terms than in 2008, leading to increased dissatisfaction and industrial action. A 2022 BMA survey found that 45% of resident doctors had difficulty paying their rent or mortgage, and 50.8% struggled with utility bills. The BMA emphasizes that pay remains a central concern and driver for resident doctor satisfaction, and that remuneration must be addressed to recruit and retain doctors in the NHS. ([bma.org.uk](https://www.bma.org.uk/media/saajzypc/bma-evidence-submission-to-the-ddrb-202526-dec-update.pdf?utm_source=openai))

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative is current, with the earliest known publication date being November 14, 2025. The British Medical Association (BMA) announced a five-day strike starting on November 14, 2025, over job insecurity and pay issues. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/englands-junior-doctors-begin-five-day-walkout-2025-11-14/?utm_source=openai)) The report includes updated data on the strike and the challenges faced by junior doctors, indicating a high freshness score.

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The direct quote from Dr Jacob McSweeney, describing the situation as “a punch to the stomach,” is unique to this report. No identical quotes were found in earlier material, suggesting potential originality. However, similar sentiments have been expressed by other doctors in previous reports, indicating that while the quote may be exclusive, the sentiment is not entirely new.

Source reliability

Score: 6

Notes: The narrative originates from The Mirror, a UK-based tabloid newspaper. While it is a well-known publication, it is often considered less reliable due to sensationalist reporting. The BMA's official statements and data are cited, which adds credibility, but the overall reliability is moderate.

Plausability check

Score: 9

Notes: The claims about the NHS training bottleneck and the BMA's strike action are corroborated by multiple reputable sources, including Reuters and the BMA's official communications. The narrative aligns with the current situation regarding junior doctors' employment and pay issues, indicating high plausibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative is current and plausible, with corroboration from multiple sources. However, the reliance on a tabloid source and the potential for sensationalism reduce the overall confidence in its accuracy. Further verification from more reputable outlets is recommended.

NHS
Junior Doctors
Healthcare Strike