Unions warn of renewed NHS strikes over 2.4% pay recommendation

Health unions have warned of renewed NHS strikes after ministers recommended a 2.4 per cent pay rise for 2027/28, below the latest inflation rate. The British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing condemned the proposal, saying it would cut staff pay in real terms and could worsen recruitment, retention and industrial relations.

The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England told pay review bodies that higher awards would require difficult trade-offs, potentially including service cuts or longer waits. They estimate each extra 0.5 percentage point would add £750 million to the wage bill, comparable to the cost of more than 89,000 hip or knee replacements. CPI inflation was 3.1 per cent in August 2026; previous resident doctor strikes cost the NHS over £3 billion and led to 1.5 million cancelled appointments. The review bodies will assess evidence before recommending awards, which ministers may accept or reject.