The NHS in England maintained almost full elective activity during the most recent round of resident doctors’ strikes, delivering 94.7 per cent of planned hospital care despite a higher level of industrial action than seen in 2024.
Data released by NHS England shows that an average of 19,120 resident doctors were absent each day during the five-day walkout in December, up from 17,236 during the previous strike period in November. Even so, the health service preserved activity levels close to normal, while enabling thousands more patients to be discharged ahead of Christmas.
In a letter to staff, Sir Jim Mackey praised teams across the system for sustaining services under intense pressure. He highlighted that hospital bed occupancy stood at 78.5 per cent on Christmas Day, equivalent to around 5,000 fewer occupied beds than the same period last year.
“I am incredibly proud of our NHS staff who worked through the festive period to help thousands of people return home from hospital during Christmas week,” Mackey said. He noted that maintaining close to 95 per cent of normal tests and operations was particularly striking given the combined impact of industrial action and a sharp rise in flu cases.
Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, staged the walkout between December 17 and 22 in a dispute with the British Medical Association over pay and training opportunities. The timing raised concerns that discharges would slow in the critical days before Christmas, concerns that ultimately did not materialise at scale. The winter backdrop remains challenging. The UK Health Security Agency has extended its amber cold weather alert across all regions of England, and NHS leaders have been clear that sustained demand will continue into the new year. Mackey cautioned against any sense of complacency. Demand remains high and is likely to rise further as colder conditions persist, he said, urging the public to come forward for flu vaccinations.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed the praise for frontline teams, describing the performance as a testament to extraordinary effort during a difficult winter period. He noted that delivery levels matched those seen during November’s strikes and exceeded the 93 per cent of planned care protected during action in July.
“With hospital bed occupancy lower than this time last year and ambulance handover performance improving, I am deeply grateful to everyone in the NHS who has stepped up to make sure patients receive the care they need,” Streeting said. He reiterated his commitment to resolving the resident doctor dispute in 2026, stating that his door remains open to the BMA to improve working conditions, reduce waiting lists and modernise the service.
The wider provider sector struck a more measured tone. NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, described the performance as remarkable but warned that it came at a cost. Chief executive Daniel Elkeles said the results reflected careful planning and extraordinary effort by staff, but did not negate the disruption experienced by patients whose care was delayed or rescheduled. He called for a resolution to the dispute, through mediation if necessary, and expressed hope that 2026 would mark the end of strike action.
Taken together, the figures underline both the resilience and the fragility of the system. The NHS has demonstrated an ability to absorb shocks that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. But doing so repeatedly, against a backdrop of workforce unrest, seasonal illness and long-standing capacity constraints, raises deeper questions about how long such performance can be sustained without structural change.
