Hospital doctors in Northern Ireland will hold two separate 24-hour strikes in November as the dispute over pay intensifies.
Resident doctors are due to walk out from 07: 00 on 20 November until 07: 00 on 21 November. Consultants and specialist, associate specialist and specialty doctors will provide only emergency-level, “Christmas Day” cover from 07: 00 on 23 November until 07: 00 on 24 November. Routine, elective and non-urgent work is expected to be cancelled or postponed during the latter action, while urgent and emergency care will continue.
The British Medical Association said the dates followed unsuccessful discussions with Health Minister Robbie Butler. The union said doctors had not received a clear commitment on when the 2026-27 pay uplift would be implemented and warned that further action could follow if negotiations did not produce meaningful progress toward restoring lost earnings.
The independent pay review body recommended a 3. 5% increase for consultants, resident doctors and SAS doctors for 2026-27. The BMA says real-terms pay has fallen by 26. 4% for consultants, 20% for resident doctors and between 23. 5% and 25. 9% for SAS doctors over the relevant 18-year period.
The union argues that delayed and below-inflation awards are worsening recruitment and retention pressures. Its Northern Ireland ballots earlier this year recorded support for industrial action from 92% of resident doctors, 90% of SAS doctors and 79% of consultants.
The November action would be the second round this year involving all three hospital-doctor groups, after strikes in June. Resident doctors are qualified doctors undertaking postgraduate training under senior supervision, while SAS doctors are specialist doctors employed by health trusts.
The pay dispute also affects nursing staff. The Royal College of Nursing opened a ballot on industrial action after Northern Ireland staff were left waiting for a recommended 3. 3% increase for 2026-27 that had already been delivered to equivalent staff in England and Wales. The nursing ballot is scheduled to close at noon on 20 November, with the result expected shortly afterward.