UK offers doctors new training spots and benefits to halt Christmas strikes; vote pending.

The UK government has offered resident doctors a deal to end planned Christmas strikes, including 1,000 new specialty training posts starting in 2026, funding for exams and Royal College fees, a 50% increase in the less-than-full-time allowance to £1,500, and legislation to prioritize UK and Irish medical graduates for training. The British Medical Association is consulting members on the offer, with a vote due before the strike date, while Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned that proceeding with strikes would lead to the offer being withdrawn. The government says the deal addresses training access and career stability amid rising competition and NHS pressures, though no further pay increases are being offered.