The key facts
- The consultants' strike will begin on 25 November at 06:59 GMT and last two days
- 76% of those who voted in the BMA ballot supported the action, with turnout just above 50%
- Consultants received a 3.5% pay rise this year
The strike is scheduled for 25 November
Consultant doctors — the most senior doctors in England's NHS — will hold a two-day strike next month in a dispute over pay and pensions. The action will begin on 25 November at 06:59 GMT, with doctors providing emergency care only. BBC News reported the announcement by the union.
The ballot and negotiations
The decision became possible after 76% of consultants who took part in the British Medical Association (BMA) ballot voted in favour of strike action earlier this year — although turnout was only just above the required 50% threshold. Talks with the government took place over the past month but failed to resolve the dispute. According to BBC News, consultants have already received a 3.5% pay rise this year.
Why it matters
Consultants are the most experienced NHS doctors, and their move to emergency-only cover means routine appointments and operations are likely to be unavailable on strike days — though the source does not specify the exact scale of cancellations. For patients, this means the risk of appointments being postponed to late November, and for the government, a continuation of the protracted conflict with doctors, which was resolved neither by the 3.5% pay rise nor by a month of talks. It is not yet known whether further action is planned after these two days.
Image source, Getty Images 
