UK health minister vows to prevent renewed doctors' strikes

LONDON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Britain's health minister Wes Streeting said he would do everything he can to prevent further strikes by hospital doctors who returned to work on Monday after a five-day walkout.

"I do not want to see a single day of industrial action in the NHS in 2026 and will be doing everything I can to make this a reality," Streeting said in a statement, adding that talks with the British Medical Association (BMA) would resume early next year.

The BMA, which represents resident doctors – nearly half of the medical workforce – has staged a series of walkouts in a dispute over pay and conditions.

The latest stoppage, which began on December 17, forced hospitals to cancel thousands of appointments during one of the busiest periods for the National Health Service.

Streeting said the NHS had coped with the "double whammy" of strikes and rising flu cases thanks to staff efforts but warned that the hardest weeks of winter were still ahead.

(Reporting by Sam TabahritiEditing by William Schomberg)