Advertisement

  1. National

Plan for monthly junior doctors' strikes draws criticism

Junior doctors in England are to hold monthly strike action for the remainder of 2016, the British Medical Association has announced.

Here are the key developments:

  • The action will take place from 8am to 5pm between September 12 and 16, October 5 and 11, November 14 and 18, and December 5 and 9
  • The strikes are an 'unforgivable' betrayal of those needing care, the head of the Patients Association has said
  • Senior doctors have urged their junior colleagues to call off the strikes
  • Prime Minister Theresa May accused the BMA of 'playing politics', while Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said doctors were being 'very confrontational'
  • The BMA said it will call off industrial action if the Government agrees not to impose the new contracts
  • Six strikes have already taken place across England during the dispute
View all 23 updates ›

Doctors' strikes are 'unforgivable' says patients' group

Junior doctors have planned a series of strikes Credit: PA

Junior doctors' planned series of strikes are an "unforgivable" betrayal of those needing care, the Patients Association has said.

Chief executive Katherine Murphy said it was a "disturbing" time to be an NHS patient as she warned medics may have gone a "step too far".

From a patient's point of view it is obviously catastrophic news - the scale of the industrial action is unforgivable.

It's putting patients under unnecessary stress and worry because every day they're hearing about a crisis in the NHS and the financial problems in our hospitals up and down the country.

– Katherine Murphy

She added that the public supported the medical profession but the extent of the strikes risked eroding public trust.

  1. Read more
  2. 23 updates
Plan for monthly junior doctors' strikes draws criticism

More on this story