Government tells junior doctors pay talks are over as fifth round of strike action ends

The government has announced there will be no more pay talks as the latest strike by junior doctors in England ended.

Health minister Will Quince insisted that negations on pay are over as the four-day walkout finished at 7am on Tuesday.

However, Mr Quince said the government is “open” to discussing other issues including working environments.

It is the fifth time junior doctors from the British Medical Association (BMA) have staged industrial action in England amid the ongoing dispute over pay.

NHS officials have suggested that the action will have led to thousands of appointments, operations and procedures being postponed.

Hospital consultants are set to stage their own strike later in the month.

Mr Quince told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "The prime minister has been clear, we've accepted the independent review body's recommendation .

"I think it's a fair and reasonable offer. I've been in the negotiations with junior doctors and they are insistent on a 35% pay rise this year .

"When we're looking at pay we need to factor in a number of things. Firstly, is the numeration right for the incredible work that doctors and all those that work in the NHS do?

"Secondly, is it affordable within the NHS budget and the ask from the junior doctors is somewhere in the region of £2 billion.

"And the third is, is it fair to broader tax payers? And that's tax payers that don't have the earning potential of doctors that aren't getting an 8.8% pay rise this year."

The government would ultimately be asking tax payers to "cover the costs" of the junior doctor's pay rise, Mr Quince added.

In July the government announced that junior doctors will receive pay rises of 6%, along with an additional consolidated £1,250 increase, and hospital consultants will also receive 6%.

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