The British Medical Association (BMA) confirmed last week it had agreed a "window" for negotiations - but it wasn't known how long that would be.

Streeting told LBC on a visit to University College London Hospital: ‘I sat down with the resident doctors last week. They've agreed to hold off strike action during the month of August so that we can see if we can work together and find resolution. Those discussions are ongoing and I welcome the fact that they're not going on strike this month.

‘Ultimately it takes two to tango in a negotiation, but the fact that they are now willing to sit down and negotiate is a step in the right direction'.

He said the ‘jury is out on where we'll get to by early September' and said there were many points of discussion.

Streeting said he was also meeting the GMB union to discuss ambulance crews today, Unison, and the Royal College of Nursing too.

He told LBC: ‘I feel much more optimistic about the wider NHS workforce, about where we are on the risk of industrial action, not least because we're working constructively together to try and find ways to deliver real improvements to the lives of NHS staff that will also then deliver real improvements for patient care and experience, which is the thing that we all want.'