NHS Protected Thousands More Appointments During Doctors Strike
Over 10,000 additional patients received treatment during last week’s BMA strike action compared to the previous industrial dispute, as the NHS adopted a significantly more robust approach to maintaining services throughout the five-day period from 25-30 July 2025. With staff from across the health service working around the clock, the NHS successfully maintained 93% of planned care during the action, ensuring that operations, tests and procedures continued alongside urgent and emergency cases despite the disruption.
Early data reveals that fewer than one in three resident doctors participated in the strike, representing a 7.5% decrease (1,243 fewer strikers) compared to the June 2024 industrial action, with the majority of junior doctors choosing instead to support the NHS-wide effort to keep services running for patients.
Sir James Mackey, NHS chief executive, said:
“The NHS has come together like never before to minimise the impact of strikes on patients, and I want to thank the hundreds of thousands of staff, including many resident doctors, who worked hard to manage the disruption, protect patients, and ensure the NHS remained open for those who needed.
“While this is really good news for the vast majority of patients whose treatment went ahead, we should still acknowledge that there were thousands whose care was disrupted.”
“NHS staff will continue to work hard to ensure patients can get their rescheduled care as soon as possible, but for those patients – and for all our staff who had to work extra shifts or with different responsibilities – a repeat of this action will be unacceptable.
“So, I would urge the Resident Doctors Committee to get back to the negotiating table and work with us and the Government on the meaningful improvements we can make to resident doctors working lives.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:
“I want to again thank staff from across the NHS who have put in an incredible shift to make sure that the NHS was open to as many patients as possible over the five days of unnecessary strike action.
“Due to the dedication of NHS staff and a different operational approach from previous strikes, we have managed to significantly reduce disruption to patients, with early indications showing that 10,000 extra patients receiving care compared to previous strike action.”
“Despite the huge effort made to keep as much planned care as possible going, let’s be clear – these damaging strikes still come at a cost to patients, other staff and the NHS.
“A majority of resident doctors didn’t vote for strike action and data shows that less than a third of residents took part. I want to thank those resident doctors who went to work for their commitment to their patients and to our shared mission to rebuild the NHS.”
“I want to end this unnecessary dispute and I will be urging the BMA to work with the government in good faith in our shared endeavour to improve the working lives of resident doctors, rather than pursuing more reckless strike action. It’s time to move past this cycle of disruption and focus on our shared mission to build on our Plan for Change and create an NHS fit for the future.”
