Why did doctors reject Wes Streeting's offer? It still fails to treat us with respect | Jack Fletcher

"Resident doctors in England have voted overwhelmingly to go ahead with this week's planned strike, because the government's latest offer fails to address the medical jobs crisis and does nothing to stem the exodus of medics from this country. Despite the government spin, this offer will not lead to more doctors in our NHS. It makes a start, but the proposed increase of specialty training posts over the next three years, from the 1,000 extra announced in the 10-year health plan to 4,000,"

"It will not mean more doctors on the shop floor of our A&E departments it's just shuffling the deck chairs on a sinking ship. This year it is estimated that nearly 40,000 doctors will apply for about 10,000 specialty training places. These are doctors who have completed years of training and who stand ready and waiting to care for patients, yet they will be denied opportunities because the posts do not exist."

"Even with the proposed legislation, without further measures we will still be turning those doctors away. Many more will join the training bottleneck queue. A lot will leave the NHS entirely. Patients already feel the consequences of these shortages. In some regions, including my own in the north-east, some lifesaving treatments are available only during office hours because there are not enough specialists to deliver them. A&E departments are overwhelmed."

Resident doctors voted to proceed with a planned strike because the government's offer does not resolve the medical jobs crisis or stop medic departures. The proposal to increase specialty training posts from 1,000 to 4,000 largely repurposes locally employed doctors rather than expanding capacity, so it will not add frontline staff. About 40,000 doctors are expected to apply for roughly 10,000 specialty training places, leaving many qualified doctors without posts and likely to join a training bottleneck or leave the NHS. Shortages already limit lifesaving treatments to office hours in some regions and overwhelm A&E departments. Resident doctors also face a long-term fall in real wages and sought a fair multiyear process to begin repair.

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