Doctors consider last-ditch Streeting bid to avoid strike

Health secretary Wes Streeting has accused the doctors' union of "playing games with patients' lives" by delaying a decision on whether to call off resident doctors' strikes after he made them a fresh offer to settle.

- JANE DALTON

And he warned that a resident doctors' strike over Christmas would have a “much different degree of risk” than previous strikes.

The British Medical Association (BMA) says it will survey members online about whether the deal is enough to call off planned walkouts next week.

Resident doctors, formerly called junior doctors, are due to walk out for five days from next Wednesday in a long-running row over pay and concerns over training places.

The online poll will close on Monday, just two days before the strike is set to start.

Mr Streeting told MPs he could not think of “a single other trade union in this country that would behave this way”.

Concerns have been raised that the planned strike coincides with a “tidal wave” of illness sweeping the UK, including a particularly debilitating strain of flu. Two hospital trusts in the Midlands declared critical incidents this week due to the pressure they are under.

The need for care is so high that thousands of patients are being treated in corridors, waiting rooms, doubled-up cubicles and ambulances.

During the five-day resident doctors' strike in August, thousands of patients had their NHS appointments cancelled.