Consultant doctors in England to strike from 25 to 27 November

What has been announced

The BMA press release, published on Monday 26 October 2026, says that consultants in England will strike. Consultants are senior hospital doctors. The announcement was made almost a month before the strike begins.

Strike times according to the BMA:

• Start: Wednesday 25 November 2026, 06:59.
• End: Friday 27 November 2026, 06:59.
• Duration: 48 hours, that is, two full days.

According to the BMA, “Christmas Day level care” will be provided during the strike. This is a term used by the BMA, but the sources available to us contain no more detailed explanation of it.

Why the strike is taking place

According to the BMA, consultants in England have been in dispute with the government since May 2025 over working conditions and pay, and they voted for strike action in July 2026. The strike was announced just days after it emerged that the government had recommended to the doctors’ pay review body (Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration) a 2.4% pay rise for all doctors in 2027-2028. The BMA describes this rise as below inflation.

The BMA also states that the strike could be avoided if the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Yvette Cooper, takes “meaningful steps”. The sources available to us do not describe what specific steps are expected.

What we know about patients

At present the sources available to us contain no NHS or BMA advice for patients on what to do on the strike days. We are therefore not publishing advice that the official bodies have not given.

What we know for certain:

• This strike is taking place in England. The BMA press release also says that in Scotland a ballot of consultants and SAS doctors over working conditions and pay has been launched, and that in Northern Ireland consultants and SAS doctors plan to strike on 23-24 November and resident doctors on 20-21 November. Wales is not mentioned in the press release.
• The strike begins on Wednesday morning and ends on Friday morning, at 06:59 in both cases.
• The BMA promises “Christmas Day level” care during the strike.
• The strike could be called off if the government takes the “meaningful steps” the BMA is demanding.

When the NHS publishes guidance for patients, “Londono Žinios” will report on it separately. This is particularly important for those who have an appointment or procedure scheduled at a hospital in England on 25 to 27 November.

What happens next

In this article we rely only on the BMA press release. While preparing this article we found no government or NHS England statements about this strike.

The strike is due to begin on Wednesday 25 November at 06:59. If the BMA calls off the strike or changes its timing, we will report on it.

“Londono Žinios” will follow BMA and NHS announcements and will update this article.

Based on: the British Medical Association (BMA) press release “Consultants announce strike action” (26 October 2026).

Republication must credit Londonozinios.com as the source.