Hunt: Junior doctors strike risks serious harm to patients

The Health Secretary has hit out at the BMA for announcing strike action that could "risk serious harm to patients" without "fully considering the revised offer" put forward over the weekend.

Jeremy Hunt wrote in a letter to the BMA chair Mark Porter that "it cannot be appropriate to put patient safety at risk with a series of potentially damaging strikes without seeing these negotiations through in full".

He added: "On the final unresolved issue of pay for weekend working, we remain willing to show flexibility and negotiate in good faith.

"It is therefore highly unfortunate that your team were not willing to discuss any compromise on this issue even though we have made clear that pay will be protected for all doctors working within contracted maximum hours."