Next week strike by doctors may be averted after the British Medical Association (BMA) were offered a new deal.
It comes as Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned that a strike over Christmas would carry a “much different degree of risk” to other strikes.
The BMA said members will be surveyed online as to whether they are satisfied enough with the deal to cancel the walkouts planned for next week.
The strikes are part of an ongoing battle between resident doctors who are expected to walk out for five days from next Wednesday over pay and training concerns.
The poll will end on Monday, which is just two days ahead of when the strike is expected to begin.
During similar strikes in August, thousands of patients had NHS appointments cancelled.
Mr Streeting said he could not think of “a single other trade union in this country that would behave this way”.
This comes after increased concern about the superflu sweeping across the UK, which has already been declared a critical incident by two hospital trusts in the Midlands this week due to high levels of pressure.
Thousands of patients are being treated in corridors, waiting rooms, doubled up cubicles and ambulances.
The BMA confirmed that the new offer included: new rules in place to ensure homegrown doctors in training are given priority for speciality training positions; more speciality training roles over the next three years, with 1,000 of them to begin next year, and more funding to be directed towards mandatory examination and Royal College membership fees for resident doctors.
The BMA said it would liaise with members on the new deal to try to resolve the “jobs crisis” for doctors in England.
Mr Streeting said he told the union they could reschedule strike action to take place in January if members were unhappy with his deal, but the BMA had refused.
He explained: “NHS leaders are going to have to start cancelling other doctors’ leave now to cover potential strikes, and patients will also experience unnecessary and avoidable disruption through some cancelled appointments and operations. That’s on the BMA.
“They didn’t have to do that, they have chosen to do that, I think that’s hugely irresponsible given the level of disruption that this will inflict at one of the busiest times of year for the NHS.”
He added: “While I’m frustrated with the BMA, and I think they’re playing games now with patients’ lives and the lives of other doctors who will be forced to cover strikes, that doesn’t alter the fact that what we’ve put forward is a good deal for doctors.”
