ENGLAND — Resident doctors in England will strike from 07:00 BST on Monday 15 June until 06:59 BST on Friday 19 June. This will be the 16th strike in the long-running dispute over pay and jobs.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents resident doctors in England, announced the strike following a meeting on Wednesday between BMA officials and Health Secretary James Murray. Murray had replaced Wes Streeting as Health Secretary earlier in the month.

Jack Fletcher, BMA resident doctor leader, said the union had hoped for a new approach under Murray’s leadership. "We had hoped that a change in leadership at the Department of Health and Social Care would lead to a change in approach," Fletcher said. "Sadly, we have run up against the same unwillingness to move we encountered under Mr Streeting."

He added that the BMA gave Murray time to settle into his role before pushing for resolution. "We were prepared to give Mr Murray time to settle into his role before completing the work his predecessor left unfinished. He had a genuine opportunity to break this logjam with fresh energy and ambition. He has not taken it."

Health Secretary James Murray responded by expressing disappointment in the BMA’s decision. "I'm disappointed that the BMA have refused to consider further discussions about how to strengthen the deal on the table and have instead rushed once again to unnecessary and unreasonable strike action." He said, "I was clear with the BMA that after a 33.4% pay rise for resident doctors over the last four years – the highest anywhere across the public sector – the BMA's demands for further substantial pay increases this year are unrealistic, unaffordable and unsustainable." He added, "It puts at risk the hard won progress the health service has made in recent months in bringing down waiting lists and driving up productivity."

Matthew Hopkins of The NHS Alliance described the strike as "rash and wholly irresponsible" and said it would leave patients paying the price. Resident doctors’ starting salaries in England are now just over £40,000, with the most senior earning £76,500 in basic pay, plus additional income for unsociable hours and extra shifts. The BMA argues that, after inflation, resident doctors earn approximately 20% less in real terms than in 2008. In March, ministers offered the BMA a deal that included more training jobs, faster career progression, and coverage of out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees. The BMA rejected the March deal, and its members participated in a six-day strike in April.