Junior doctors to strike 'in longest single walkout in NHS history'

Junior doctors in England will strike for five consecutive days in July, in what is thought to be the longest single period of industrial action in the history of the health service.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said the five-day walkout would be between 7am on Thursday 13 July and 7am on Tuesday 18 July.

Thousands of appointments and pre-planned operations are set to be disrupted as more senior doctors fill in and emergency and critical care is prioritised.

Junior doctors also went on strike for three days earlier this month. It followed a four-day walkout in April and a three-day one in March.

Pay has decreased by more than a quarter since 2008 when inflation is taken into account - and many doctors are burnt out from an increasing workload, according to the BMA.

It said they there was no option but to strike as the government's 5% pay offer is way below the 35% demanded.

The government has said such a figure is unreasonable and that the strikes risk patient safety and will lead to more treatments being postponed.

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The prime minister's official spokesman said on Friday "It puts patient safety and our efforts to cut waiting lists at risk. It is obviously extremely disappointing.

"In the meeting the Government had with junior doctors, we made a fair and reasonable opening offer.

"We were discussing both pay and non-pay issues. But they chose to end the talks by announcing new strike dates.

"Obviously if they cancel the damaging and disruptive strikes and show willingness to move away from their starting positions and find a way forward, then we will be able to proceed with those discussions."

Junior doctors are qualified but are in the process of years of training to become a specialist or a GP.

They make up around 45% of the NHS medical workforce and two-thirds are members of the BMA.

Just over half of junior doctors surveyed by the union said they had received job adverts from overseas recruiters via social media and other sources.

The government of the state of South Australia has even sent trucks to picket lines offering improved pay if NHS doctors emigrate.

Junior doctors in Scotland also voted to strike earlier this month after rejecting a pay offer from the Scottish government worth an average 14.5% over two years.

They are set to walkout from 12 to 15 July.

The Welsh government has agreed to the principle of pay restoration for junior doctors in Wales, but terms have not yet been agreed.