Junior doctors across Essex enter third day of strike
Junior doctors are also considering striking every month until next spring
Junior doctors are into the third and final day of their latest strike in Essex and across England.
NHS trusts have warned patients to expect delays as the British Medical Association walks out over pay and conditions.
Dr Daniel Zahedi represents the BMA in the East of England - he's told us the terms offered so far aren't good enough: "We've had several weeks of discussions with the government and the most they could offer us was 5%.
"5% doesn't even tackle half of inflation for this year alone...
"It's not meeting in the middle - it's very much on the low side and it's still a pay cut for this year alone. "The whole point of this campaign is pay restoration. It sounds like a big number but that's only because it reflects the huge cuts to our pay over the last 15 years."
What does the government say?
The Health Secretary's described the demands being made by the union as 'unreasonable'.
Steve Barclay's called this week's strike action "extremely disappointing", saying: "This 72-hour walkout will put patient safety and our efforts to cut waiting lists at risk.
"During recent meetings with representatives of the BMA junior doctors committee, we made a fair and reasonable opening offer and were discussing both pay and non-pay issues until they chose to end the talks by announcing new strike dates.
"If the BMA cancels these damaging and disruptive strikes and shows willingness to move significantly from their position, we can resume confidential talks and find a way forward, as we have done with other unions."
What's next?
Junior doctors are preparing to strike every month until next spring, medics have said.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said it will ballot training doctors next week to extend its strike mandate.
Junior doctors said they will also consider "co-ordinated action" with consultants, who are also currently being balloted over the possibility of strike action.
If members vote to continue strikes, junior doctors will take to picket lines for three days a month, every month, until March 2024, the PA news agency has learned.
The move would represent a significant escalation in the dispute with the Government over pay.
"One of the busiest days ever"
During the strikes this week, NHS England's top doctor warned that it had been one of the "busiest days ever" in accident and emergency departments.
NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: "We know the warm weather has increased demand on services and this week we have seen one of our busiest days ever at A&E departments.
"As we move into what's forecasted to be a very warm weekend, the heat and the impact of industrial action will continue across the country."
"We only took action because we were ignored by the Government."
In an interview with PA, Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairman of the BMA Junior Doctors' Committee, said: "We have said that we are prepared to take three days of action every month for the rest of our mandate if we need to - but that's the key thing, if we need to - and we didn't actually even need to take strike in the first place.
"We only took action because we were ignored by the Government.
"And even now, Mr Barclay - well, it actually seems to be Mr Sunak who is actually pulling the strings - has the ability to get these strikes called off.
"All we need to know is that he's serious, he's willing to put a credible offer on the table that we can use to negotiate with.
"And going forwards, if we're happy to have an open, honest conversation, then we don't need to ever go on strike again.
"But if the Government continue to act in bad faith, as they have repeatedly in the past, we are preparing for further strike action and actually are making preparations to re-ballot our members to extend our strike mandate."
Dr Trivedi added: "Our mandate expires on August 19 and we will be re-balloting from June 19, which is next Monday up until the end of August.
"That will take us through to February/March 2024 and we would re-ballot at that point if we needed to.
"The key emphasis on 'if we need to', which we don't if the Government meets us."
"Extremely worrying"
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "The suggestion that junior doctors could strike regularly over consecutive days every month for a year or more will be extremely worrying to healthcare leaders.
"If further industrial action is also co-ordinated with strikes by consultant doctors, should they announce they have a mandate, then patient safety will be put at further risk.
"We know health services are already struggling with severe staff shortages in many areas, and with the NHS carrying over 120,000 vacancies, further industrial action will very likely leave one of the Prime Minister's key missions, that of reducing waiting lists, at risk.
"Healthcare leaders and their staff have moved mountains and made great strides in bringing down waiting lists, especially for those patients waiting the longest.
"However, a drawn out and protracted series of doctors strikes over the next 12 months and beyond risks this progress being eroded, and NHS leaders must not be blamed if targets are missed."