Junior doctors’ strike to go ahead after government talks fail

• Resident doctors' strikes are set to proceed for five days from Friday at 7am after last-ditch talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and Health Secretary Wes Streeting failed.
• The BMA confirmed the industrial action, stating that Mr Streeting's offers "did not go far enough to warrant calling off strikes," with the dispute primarily centred on pay restoration.
• Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticised the BMA's decision as "reckless" and "unjustified," asserting that the government cannot offer further pay increases following a 28.9 per cent rise over the last three years.
• The BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs highlighted that while non-pay issues were discussed, the core issue remains pay, which they say has eroded by over a fifth since 2008.
• NHS leaders expressed concern over the "crushing blow" to patients and the NHS, urging resident doctors to minimise harm by notifying trusts of their strike plans.

IN FULL

Streeting hits out at ‘reckless’ doctors as last-ditch talks to avoid five-day strike fail