Public support for NHS doctor strikes is declining, according to a new YouGov poll.
The survey found about half (52%) of people in the UK either “somewhat oppose” (20%) or “strongly oppose” (32%) the idea of resident doctors going on strike over pay.
Meanwhile, a third (34%) of the 4,954 adults surveyed either “somewhat support” (23%) or “strongly support” (11%) doctor strikes.
Most Britons are now opposed to resident doctors going on strike over pay, as currently scheduled to take place from Friday
— YouGov (@YouGov) July 21, 2025
Support: 34% (-5 from 27 May)
Oppose: 52% (+4) pic.twitter.com/fcdfIsLvDO
Older people are more likely to be against, with 52% of those aged over 65 “strongly opposed”, compared with 10% of those aged 18 to 24.
YouGov said the proportion supporting the strike over pay has dropped five points since it last asked the question in May.
Back then, 48% opposed resident doctors striking, while 39% supported them taking action.
It comes as the British Medical Association (BMA) condemned NHS England’s plans for the health service during the five-day walkout, which begins at 7am on Friday.
NHS England has written to NHS bosses urging them not to cancel pre-planned care wherever possible.
The letter urges the health system to focus on maintaining emergency care, maintaining the flow of patients and “maintaining elective care to the fullest extent possible” as well as “priority treatments” such as cancer care.
“It will be important for systems and trusts to try and maintain normal levels of booked activity…” the letter said.
It added: “Reducing volumes of bookings and rescheduling of appointments and other activity should only happen in exceptional circumstances to safeguard patient safety.”
We've written to NHS England with concerns about inadequate planning ahead of possible strike action later this week.
— The BMA (@TheBMA) July 21, 2025
Attempts to run non-urgent services with fewer doctors risk patient safety. It's imperative that Trusts postpone work to protect urgent and emergency care. pic.twitter.com/cUtMdox9kg
On Tuesday morning, BMA deputy chairwoman Dr Emma Runswick told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the plan risked patient safety.
She said: “We’ve had proven systems over the last decade that have made sure that where we have to take strike action, senior doctors cover urgency and critical care.
“This time round, NHS England are pushing for the continuation of non-urgent and scheduled care in a way that we think at best is confusing and will create on-the-day cancellations – and at worst could be risky and lead to harm in emergency departments and on wards, because senior doctors cannot physically be in two places at once.
“We think that a notional guidance from NHS England which is saying that basically all scheduled work should continue to go ahead has potential to be seriously risky for patients.”
During previous rounds of industrial action in 2023 and 2024, NHS England told trusts they could cancel large volumes of non-urgent care so that consultants could step in to cover emergency services.
But under the leadership of new NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey, hospitals have been given tougher rules over cancellations and said they may need prior approval.
Dr Runswick said: “Senior doctors are needed to be freed up in order to provide urgency and critical care.
“We think the vast majority of planned and unscheduled care should be shifted.
“There are always, in every hospital, local medical managers, local clinical leaders, who will make decisions about what is safe to go ahead – but trying to maintain scheduled care during this strike is not safe in many cases.”
NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, hit back at the claim, saying it was the “costly” BMA strike putting patients at risk, not the NHS.
Its chief executive, Daniel Elkeles, said: “The NHS, not the BMA, is putting patient’s interests first.
“Given that some patients will be caused undoubted harm if the short-notice strike goes ahead, NHS trusts are doing the responsible thing by not cancelling people’s care whilst talks to avert the strike are ongoing.
“Now is a time for cool heads in the BMA because it’s not too late to avoid a damaging, costly strike. NHS trust leaders hope for a breakthrough from talks between Government and the union.
“If the strike goes ahead then NHS trusts will do everything they can to avoid any harm to patients and are planning for as many patients as possible to be cared for.”
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England’s co-national medical director for secondary care, said: “The safest thing for patients is for the NHS to maintain as much urgent and planned care as possible during strikes, and we would encourage the BMA to work with us constructively to achieve this in the event industrial action goes ahead.”
Talks between the Government and the BMA have continued in recent days, though Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ruled out extra pay rises.
The BMA has also issued guidance for consultants regarding the extra pay they can seek for covering work during the strike that is not in their contracts.
The BMA “rate card” says consultants can ask for £188 per hour on weekdays from 7am-7pm and £250 an hour from 7pm to 11pm.
At weekends, the pay claim can rise to £250 per hour from 7am to 11am and £313 per hour for overnight work from 11pm to 7am.
The BMA guidance to consultants regarding the strike said: “Consultants will no doubt want to work with employers to ensure that services are still able to operate effectively.
Consultants and SAS doctors in England - look out for your indicative ballot email from @TheBMA today!
— Tom Dolphin🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️ (@thomasdolphin) July 21, 2025
Wes Streeting called pay restoration "a journey, not an event" - so why have we stopped?
Are you prepared to stand up to demand your value is recognised by the government? pic.twitter.com/f5KJ1colP7
“However, they should not be expected to do so without agreement and without being appropriately remunerated…
“If you choose to cover such work, we recommend that you negotiate payment at an appropriate rate using our consultant rate card for non-contractual work.”
Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, were awarded an average 5.4% pay increase this financial year, following a 22% rise over the previous two years.
However, the BMA says real-terms pay has still fallen by around 20% since 2008, and is pushing for full “pay restoration”.
Resident doctors are qualified doctors in clinical training.
They have completed a medical degree and can have up to nine years of working experience as a hospital doctor, depending on their specialty, or up to five years of working and gaining experience to become a general practitioner (GP).
