LONDON (Reuters) -Junior doctors in England plan to strike for five days in July, a union representing them said on Friday, calling it the “longest single period of industrial action” in the history of the state-run NHS.
The walkouts will take place from July 13, the British Medical Association (BMA) said in a statement.
“Even now the Government can avert our action by coming to the table with a credible offer on pay restoration,” the BMA said.
Hundreds of thousands of appointments have been cancelled so far this year as junior doctors – qualified physicians who make up nearly half of the medical workforce – have been in dispute with the government in demand of better pay.
“These five days will be hugely disruptive for patients and put pressure on other NHS staff, we remain ready to continue talking at any point if strikes are called off,” the health ministry said in a statement.
Britain has been hit by strikes in many other sectors as well, from transport and education to emergency services, as record-breaking inflation levels have pushed workers to seek pay hikes to cope with a cost-of-living crisis.
Separately, the RCN union, which represents nurses, is balloting its members for further strike action after rejecting the government’s 5% pay rise offer.
(Reporting by Sarah Young, writing by Muvija M; editing by Alistair Smout)
