Medics issue patient safety warning over union’s approach to strikes

• Top medics have urged the British Medical Association (BMA) to suspend its guidance advising doctors not to disclose strike plans to employers.
• The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said that withholding this information risks patient safety as it makes it extremely difficult for health service leaders to maintain adequate patient care.
• Resident doctors are set to begin a five-day strike on Friday after pay talks with the government broke down, with the BMA seeking a 29 per cent pay rise.
• Hospital leaders anticipate having to cancel some operations and appointments, despite NHS England's mandate to continue routine care, with one A&E in Cheltenham considering reducing services.
• The health secretary, Wes Streeting, described the strike action as “completely unjustified”, while the BMA argues the government’s pay offer is insufficient.

IN FULL

Top medics ask union to row back hard stance on doctors’ strikes, warning they risk patient safety