Resident doctors at York Hospital are set to begin a six-day strike starting on 7 April 2026, as part of a long-running national pay dispute. The walkout will commence at 7am and continue until 6:59am on 13 April 2026, marking the 15th round of industrial action since March 2023.
The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the hospital, has confirmed that patients will be contacted directly if their appointments are affected by the strike. Those who have not been contacted should continue to attend their scheduled appointments as planned. NHS officials have warned that the extended strike period, which falls immediately after the Easter bank holiday, may cause disruption and longer wait times for non-emergency care.
The strike follows the decision by the British Medical Association to reject a government proposal that included a 3.5% pay uplift as recommended by the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration. The government’s offer also featured reforms to pay progression over three years, reimbursement for exam fees, and the creation of up to 4,500 additional training posts. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has urged the union to reconsider the offer by 2 April 2026, warning that the additional training places may be withdrawn if the strike proceeds.
While resident doctors will be off duty, the hospital confirmed that consultants, GPs, pharmacists, and other NHS staff will remain on site to ensure essential services continue. Patients in need of medical attention during this time are asked to use 111 online for non-urgent health needs and reserve 999 for serious emergencies.
The dispute remains centered on pay, with the union arguing that pay restoration is necessary to address the impact of inflation since 2008. The government maintains that resident doctors have received a 28.9% pay increase over the past three years, bringing their average full-time basic pay to approximately £54,300 for the 2025-26 period.
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