Patients face delays after junior doctors vote to strike again

PATIENTS are facing six months of disruption and delayed treatment after resident doctors voted to strike again over an ongoing pay row.

- By Martyn Brown Political Editor

Walkouts could last until January, bringing chaos to the NHS and triggering warnings that operations may be cancelled.

Resident doctors want another pay rise worth 29%, despite pocketing a massive 22% last year.

The group, previously known as junior doctors, have already taken industrial action 11 times since 2002, crippling hospital services and forcing health bosses to cancel an estimated 1.5 million appointments.

Many resident doctors were offered a 5.4% pay uplift in May following a review of public sector wages.

The increase, recommended by an independent pay review body, was above the rate of inflation, which jumped to 3.5% in April.