NHS Strikes Cost £3B, Halt Recovery

0:00It's April 7th. You're listening to Europe News today. AI-powered coverage from across the continent. I'm Cory with the story. Resident Doctors just kicked off their 15th strikes since 2023, and the total bill for all these walkouts has hit 3 billion pounds. Health Secretary Westreeding laid it out clear that cash could have built a few hospitals or slashed NHS waiting lists way quicker with extra. Appointments and procedures. This latest six-day action started at 7 a.m. on April 7th, 2026, and it set to cost the NHS another 300 million pounds, alone. The government put a deal on the table, a 4.9% pay-bomb, that leave these docs 35.2% better often for. Years back, plus 1,000 new training spots. But the British Medical Association's Resident Doctors Committee shot it down. Streeting's firing back hard, saying no more training places since the BMA rejected the whole package, he claims NHS leaders aren't even asking for.

1:00Them, and it'll look crazy to hand out perks after a strike, this pricey. Patients are still urged to show up for care, though officials admit it'll be tough. Meanwhile, the BMA's own staff hit the picket lines for 48 hours over pay, accepting just 2.75% for themselves while. Turning down 4.9% from the government. On top of that, senior medics like consultants are getting balleted for strikes after a 3.5% award. The NHS is finally turning a corner toward recovery, but these avoidable strikes keep wasting time, money, and lives. Both sides dug in, holding. Patients in the middle as talks stall out.