Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 9 February 2026.
Dr Caroline Johnson
Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department holds information on the number of resident doctors who, whilst on strike, work for another trust.
Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold information on the number of resident doctors who, whilst on strike, work for another trust.
National Health Service staff who are on strike are not prevented by law from working for non-NHS bodies or other NHS organisations, including NHS trusts, on days of industrial action, as long as they are not provided by an employment business to cover the work of striking workers. Before the British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee (BMA RDC) strike action in July 2025, NHS England set out in guidance that resident doctors who have chosen to take industrial action should not undertake a locum or bank shift elsewhere during the period of action. More information is available at the following link:
During the BMA RDC strike action in December 2025, NHS England issued additional communications to Trusts to reaffirm the existing guidance.
NHS staff should consider the guidance published by the relevant professional bodies before undertaking additional work during strike days.
The Department continues to monitor the impact of industrial action on NHS services and staffing arrangements.
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
