TV doctor and fertility expert Lord Robert Winston has resigned from the British Medical Association after more than 60 years, citing concerns over planned strike action by resident doctors.
The 84-year-old professor, known for his documentaries on child development, told The Times the walkout was “highly dangerous” and could damage public trust in the profession. He confirmed his resignation on Thursday.
His decision came hours after health secretary Wes Streeting urged the BMA to abandon the planned strike, warning it could derail the NHS’s “fragile” recovery.
Speaking in the Commons, Streeting said: “We have put the NHS on the road to recovery, but we all know that the NHS is still hanging by a thread, and that the BMA is threatening to pull it.”
“That is why I am once again urging the BMA to abandon their unreasonable rush to strike and work with us to improve resident doctors’ working lives instead.”
Resident doctors – fully qualified doctors in training, mostly working in hospitals – announced plans this week to strike for five consecutive days from 7am on 25 July.
The ballot saw 90 per cent of voting members back action, with a 55 per cent turnout.
In a strongly worded statement to MPs, Streeting claimed the BMA had “lost the public’s support” and that reopening negotiations on pay would be “deeply unfair to all other public sectors”.
He said: “It is unaffordable. It should be apparent to anyone that the public finances this government inherited are not awash with cash.
“I will not and cannot negotiate on this year’s pay award.”
In a final plea to resident doctors, he added: “I urge them to consider very carefully the consequences of your actions.
“Five days of strike action means patients and their families receiving the phone call they are currently dreading.”
He said that while doctors would be on the picket line protesting a 28.9 per cent pay increase, “their friends and colleagues, other NHS staff, many of whom are paid less than they are, will be inside picking up the pieces.”
Co-chairs of the BMA’s resident doctor committee, Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, said they had met with Streeting but that the government had refused to move on pay.
They said in a statement: “We met Wes Streeting yesterday and made every attempt to avoid strike action by opening negotiations for pay restoration.
“Unfortunately, the government has stated that it will not negotiate on pay, wanting to focus on non-pay elements without suggesting what these might be.”
“Without a credible offer to keep us on the path to restore our pay, we have no choice but to call strikes.
“No doctor wants to strike, and these strikes don’t have to go ahead.”
“If Mr Streeting can seriously come to the table in the next two weeks we can ensure that no disruption is caused.
“The government knows what is needed to avert strikes. The choice is theirs.”
The planned walkout would be the 12th since 2022 by resident doctors. Previous strikes have led to nearly 1.5m appointments being cancelled or rescheduled.
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “Trust leaders now face the bleak prospect of a full five-day walkout by resident doctors jeopardising this hard-won progress to cut waiting lists and efforts to see patients quicker.
“The focus now will be on planning to ensure services are as safe as possible for patients.”
