Junior Doctors In England To Strike Next Week

The British Medical Association (BMA) said the 24-hour strike, planned to start at 8am on 12 January, comes after the Government's "continued failure to address junior doctors' concerns".

During the strike, junior doctors will only give emergency care.

The BMA added that, unless progress was made, there would be a second strike for 48 hours beginning at 8am on 26 January which will also see junior doctors providing only emergency care.

Another day of action is planned for 10 February during which junior doctors will stop working completely between 8am and 5pm.

BMA chairman Dr Mark Porter said junior doctors had "been left with no option".

"It is because the Government's proposals would be bad for patient care as well as junior doctors in the long-term that we are taking this stand," he said.

The doctors had planned to strike for three days in December over the Government's moves to change working hours and pay.

More than 37,000 doctors had been balloted by the BMA the previous month, 76% taking part and 98% of those voting to strike.

The industrial action was later called off to allow further talks but not before thousands of operations had to be cancelled.

Since then, parties have been discussing an offer made by the Government late last year, which includes an 11% rise in basic pay for junior doctors.

There would also be cuts to the times for which they could claim extra pay for working unsocial hours.

can be paid extra for working between 7pm and 7am during the week and all of the weekend.

Under the Government's offer, the higher rate of pay would run from 10pm until 7am during the week and from 7pm on Saturday evenings.

The BMA says those changes mean that the 11% pay rise is misleading.

But Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says just 1% of junior doctors would lose pay and those doctors already work too many hours.

Speaking on Monday evening, Mr Hunt said that "good progress" had been made in the talks, with the only obstacle being the weekend pay.

He added: "Our absolute priority is patient safety and making sure that the NHS delivers high-quality care seven days a week - and we know that's what doctors want too, so it is extremely disappointing that the BMA have chosen to take industrial action which helps no one."

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said patients were "being caught in the middle of this bitter dispute".

"The Patients Association understand the concerns of junior doctors. We know they are worried about the impact that the proposed contracts would have on patient safety, particularly around pressures to work excessive hours.

"The short-term impact that this strike will cause, however, is very worrying. Cancelled operations and reduced access to services will directly affect patients, leaving many at risk."