Wes Streeting on Doctors
TL;DR
Wes Streeting actively negotiates with resident doctors, offering pay and career improvements to end industrial action.
Key Points
He offered resident doctors a significantly improved pay offer for 2026-27, potentially at least double the general 2.5% uplift, to end the dispute in February 2026.
Streeting announced intent to introduce urgent legislation to prioritize UK medical graduates over overseas applicants for specialty training posts.
He has publicly characterized the BMA's leadership as engaging in "cartel-like behaviour" while threatening further industrial action.
Summary
As Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting has taken a central role in the prolonged dispute with resident doctors, who have engaged in extensive industrial action. He has consistently stated that resident doctors have already received the largest pay increase in the public sector, amounting to nearly 29% over two years, and has insisted the country cannot afford further headline pay increases this year, citing fairness to other NHS staff. However, he has sought to resolve the conflict by offering significant non-pay related incentives and improved career structures, including a pledge to legislate to prioritize UK graduates for specialty training places and offering to reimburse professional fees for the doctors.
The government's approach has involved both firm resistance to further headline pay rises and attempts to meet other core demands to break the deadlock, which has seen him make increasingly detailed offers aimed at ending strikes that have cost the NHS hundreds of millions. His rhetoric towards the doctors' union, the BMA, has sometimes been highly critical, labelling their behaviour "cartel-like" and "morally reprehensible". Despite this, there have been signs of progress, with Streeting offering a potentially much larger pay rise for 2026-27 specifically for resident doctors and guaranteeing fines for trusts with poor working conditions, which led to optimism that a deal might be reached.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wes Streeting, as Health Secretary, has maintained that resident doctors have already received the highest public sector pay rise and that further headline increases are unaffordable this year, according to his statement to the House in December 2025. He prefers to offer improvements to non-pay issues, such as funding professional fees and increasing allowances for less than full-time doctors.
Wes Streeting's general position of resisting further headline pay rises has remained firm, but his approach to securing a deal has evolved by offering concessions. He recently finalized a package including a larger, doctor-specific pay offer for 2026-27 and mandatory fines for trusts failing on working conditions, indicating a shift toward resolution.
The Health Secretary has strongly criticized the British Medical Association's leadership, labeling them "morally reprehensible" and accusing them of "cartel-like behaviour" during public speeches. This language led to a formal complaint being lodged against him for undermining the union's professional reputation.
Sources5
Wes Streeting to offer resident doctors bigger pay rise to end dispute
Secretary of State's statement to the House on industrial action by resident doctors - GOV.UK
Wes Streeting is hit with official complaint for labelling doctors “moaning Minnies”
Wes Streeting says BMA is 'morally reprehensible' as strike looms : r/doctorsUK
Resident doctors in England appeal to Wes Streeting to come to table as strikes end
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.