NHS facing 'triple whammy of pressure' with latest strikes set to coincide with heatwave and World Cup

By SHAUN WOOLLER, EXECUTIVE HEALTH EDITOR Published: 00:01, 13 June 2026 | Updated: 00:01, 13 June 2026 The NHS faces a ‘triple whammy of pressure’ as the latest strike by resident doctors is set to coincide with a heatwave and the World Cup, health bosses warn. Resident doctors will stage a four-day walk out from 7am on Monday in a row over pay and jobs in what will be their 16th round of strike action since 2023. NHS officials are urging the public to come forward for care as usual but are braced for a surge in demand linked to a predicted heatwave and England’s first World Cup game on Wednesday. It is expected that pubs and bars will be busy as the Three Lions take on Croatia at 9pm UK time. Meanwhile the Met Office forecasts suggest temperatures will be ‘generally above normal’ between Tuesday and Thursday. The walk out, led by the British Medical Association, will end on Friday June 19 at 6.59am. A&Es in England recorded their busiest ever month in May as Britons suffered from the impact of a heatwave, sparking concerns about how the NHS will cope with further rises in temperature. Resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, are demanding a pay rise of 24 per cent in addition to the 33.4 per cent they have received over the past four years. Striking doctors protest outside Bristol Royal Infirmary hospital in July last year, with a fresh walkout due from Monday. In March, the BMA rejected an offer worth an average 4.9 per cent, which would have seen some doctors earning over £100,000 before they even qualify as a consultant. The strikes have so far cost the NHS over £3billion in lost activity and overtime payments to covering consultants, with each day if industrial action hitting finances to the sum of £50million. Professor Frankie Swords, national medical director at NHS England, said: ‘The NHS remains open as usual during this period of industrial action, with staff across the NHS doing everything they can to keep patients safe and minimise disruption to services. ‘With temperatures set to rise again this week and the World Cup kicking off – it will be triple whammy of pressure, but staff will pull together as they always do, to keep the show on the road and ensure people continue to receive the care they need. ‘It is important during any heatwave, that people try to stay cool, stay out of the sun, and stay hydrated during the hottest hours, and seek help when they need it, especially those who are vulnerable including the very young, elderly and those with underlying health conditions. ‘Please come forward for care as normal, call 999 or attend A&E in an emergency, and use 111 online first for urgent but non-life-threatening support.’ When the strike was announced in May, BMA officials said health secretary James Murray ‘made clear’ he will not increase the offer to resident doctors. The union said that more strike dates in July could also be announced. England fan with an inflatable world cup trophy during Wednesday's international friendly match at the Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Sir Ciarán Devane, chief executive of the NHS Alliance, which represents healthcare leaders, said: ‘Local NHS leaders have become all-too familiar with dealing with industrial action stemming from this long and damaging dispute. ‘Yet again, every effort will be made during next week’s walkout to minimise disruption to patients, despite potential additional pressures as a result of the weather and the football. 'But there will be some knock-on delays to care which will be hugely frustrating for those affected. ‘And for every stoppage there is a very significant hit to NHS finances. ‘Even at this late stage we urge both sides, the Government and the BMA, to get together and resolve this dispute once and for all.’ Speaking at the NHS ConfedExpo conference in Manchester this week, Mr Murray said: ‘I was really disappointed that the resident doctors are going to strike next week. ‘I met them within my first couple of weeks in office and I explained to them my position, which is that there is a really good offer on the table when it comes to pay. ‘We cannot go further on pay, but when it comes to other aspects of the deal, when it comes to job opportunities, to terms and conditions, training options, that is where I want to work with them to strengthen the deal as much as possible.’ Sunbathers relax in the sunshine on Bournemouth beach as heatwave conditions spread to parts of southeast England in May. Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA's Resident Doctors Committee, at the picket line outside St Thomas's Hospital, London, in April this year. Wes Streeting, Mr Murray’s predecessor, had initially struck a deal to end strikes by resident doctors during the first months of the Labour Government in 2024, although industrial action by medics resumed in 2025. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for doctors to be banned from striking, as is the case with police officers and the military. Resident doctor members of the BMA have a mandate for industrial action until August. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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