'We must be honest about who bears the greatest cost' - 3 doctors reveal why BMA strikes and an underfunded NHS disproportionally affect women

Today, thousands of resident doctors in England will walk out over pay, commencing the start of a five-day strike.

The government's most recent offer in the dispute, which has been ongoing since 2023, included more speciality training posts and out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees. Health Secretary Wes Streeting drew the line at pay increases, however, citing the 30% pay increase resident doctors (formerly known as junior doctors) have received over the past three years.

This triggered an online poll of British Medical Association (BMA) members over the weekend, where 83% of members voted to continue the strike, with a turnout of 65%.

Dr Jack Fletcher, the chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said the health secretary had "fumbled" the opportunity to end the industrial action. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was "gutted" about the result, and Wes Streeting called the strikes "self-indulgent, irresponsible and dangerous".

Experts have raised concerns about the double impact on the NHS of strike action and the rise in hospital admissions for a new strain of flu, which is more transmissible and hit unseasonably early this year.

While these are valid concerns, in the political tussle of who stands to lose the most, women's voices have been consistently overlooked. Not only are routine services like maternity care and preventative screenings such as mammograms disproportionally impacted during strike action, but women make up 57% of resident doctors and 75% of the entire NHS workforce. It's women who will bear the brunt of strikes, just as it's women who largely face the consequences of an underfunded and understaffed health service.

Here, woman&home speaks to three doctors who have worked or are working in the NHS about their view of the strikes, and why women stand to lose the most.

Dr Barbara Kubicka, ex-NHS doctor

“As a former NHS doctor, I understand the frustration and exhaustion that have driven doctors to strike. However, we must also be honest about who bears the greatest cost. In England, women are disproportionately affected by the disruption caused by BMA doctors’ strikes, and their voices are too often missing from this debate," she says.

“Women are the primary users of many services that are most vulnerable to cancellation, such as maternity care, gynaecology clinics, fertility treatment, and breast screening. Delays to these services are not neutral inconveniences. They can have lifelong consequences. Missed antenatal appointments increase anxiety and risk for pregnant women. Postponed gynaecological assessments can mean prolonged pain, undiagnosed conditions, or delayed cancer diagnoses.

“Women also carry the hidden burden when the system falters. They are more likely to be carers for children, elderly parents, and disabled relatives. When hospital appointments are cancelled or emergency care is stretched, it is women who take time off work, absorb emotional stress, and manage the fallout at home. For women in insecure employment, this can mean lost income or even job loss.

“Industrial action may be aimed at the government, but patients feel its immediate impact. A health service that repeatedly withdraws care risks normalising disruption to women’s health. Any resolution to this dispute must place patient impact, particularly on women, at its centre, rather than treating it as an unfortunate but acceptable side effect," says Dr Barbara Kubicka, founder of ClinicBe.

Dr Shirin Lakhani, GP and menopause specialist

“Women’s health services were already under significant strain long before the current round of doctors’ strikes. Years of workforce shortages, underinvestment and fragmented pathways have meant that wait times for areas that pertain more to women’s health, such as gynaecology, are notoriously long, with studies showing that on average, it takes over two years for women to receive a formal diagnosis for issues such as PCOS, endometriosis and gynaecological cancers.

"The strikes have understandably intensified these pressures, and women often feel the impact most acutely, particularly pregnant women facing delayed antenatal care, those attending regular follow-up appointments, and women managing long-term or intimate health conditions where continuity of care is essential. While urgent maternity and emergency care is rightly protected, repeated cancellations of routine and follow-up appointments can have real long-term consequences for women’s physical and mental health," says Dr Shirin Lakhani.

"This situation is not simply about industrial action. It reflects a system that currently lacks sufficient doctors or specialist capacity to meet women’s needs. Without sustained investment in staffing and women’s health services, delays and disruption will continue, regardless of whether strikes are taking place.”

Dr Sima Al Asad, an NHS women's health doctor

“Working in women’s health, I see firsthand how finely balanced many services have become. Women’s healthcare has been under sustained pressure for some time, and navigating the system can already feel challenging for patients when care is stretched.

“Services such as maternity care, gynaecology clinics, early pregnancy services and cancer pathways rely on continuity, timely assessment and clear communication. For pregnant women, uncertainty around appointments or care plans can be deeply unsettling. For those waiting for assessment for symptoms such as pain, bleeding or possible cancer, delays can extend anxiety at an already worrying time," says Dr Sima Al Asad.

“Women also frequently delay seeking help, often balancing work, caring responsibilities, and family life. When access to care becomes less predictable, it risks widening existing inequalities in women’s health."

“However, as doctors, we are trained to advocate for our patients, and that includes speaking honestly about the importance of workforce sustainability," she says. "Staffing levels, retention and working conditions are central to delivering safe, consistent care. Protecting women’s health cannot be separated from supporting the NHS staff who provide it. A sustainable NHS must value its workforce so that women can continue to receive timely, compassionate and reliable care when they need it most.“