The BMA revealed yesterday that 90% of resident doctors voted for strike action, on a turnout of 55%, providing a mandate for six months of industrial action.

BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said: ‘We met Wes Streeting yesterday and made every attempt to avoid strike action by opening negotiations for pay restoration. Unfortunately, the Government has stated that it will not negotiate on pay, wanting to focus on non-pay elements without suggesting what these might be. Without a credible offer to keep us on the path to restore our pay, we have no choice but to call strikes.

‘No doctor wants to strike, and these strikes don't have to go ahead. If Mr Streeting can seriously come to the table in the next two weeks we can ensure that no disruption is caused. The Government knows what is needed to avert strikes. The choice is theirs.'

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NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles, said: ‘Announcing five days of strike action with just two weeks' notice can only be harmful. It's totally unfair to patients whose care will be cancelled at such short notice just as the NHS was beginning to turn the tide on reducing waiting lists. 

‘It shows a lack of respect for colleagues from many other disciplines who received lower pay rises and will now have to cover resident doctors' work. And it is going to divert attention away from improving services to focus on planning to keep services as safe as possible. 

‘We need cool heads to de-escalate this and remove the threat of further damaging industrial action.'

Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said: ‘Resident doctors downing tools for five days of strikes will have a huge impact on the NHS and its patients and will likely lead to thousands of cancelled appointments and operations. While NHS leaders and their teams will have to fill rota gaps and rearrange appointments, ultimately it is patients who will bear the brunt of this decision and will be left waiting longer for treatments.

‘It is disappointing that talks to avert industrial action seem to have broken down so quickly. But it is hard to see how the government could commit to increasing resident doctor pay further, particularly after they have received some of the biggest public sector pay rises over the last two years. While we fully understand the concerns resident doctors and other staff groups have over their pay, conditions and training, we urge BMA members to engage with the positive and responsive direction set out in the government's recent Ten-Year Health Plan and work with the wider NHS to deliver the improvements to the working environment for resident doctors that have been agreed already.

‘Our members will continue to try to provide the best care possible and maintain patient safety during any industrial action. But it's vital that the BMA also reflect on the way in which their last strikes were conducted to see if they can find better responses to requests for help so that patient safety is not jeopardised.'

RCN general secretary and chief executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said: ‘Nursing staff are similarly voting in strong numbers and telling the government to go faster in repairing a damaged NHS and undervalued workforce.

‘Avoiding strikes by talking, negotiating and planning together is the only sensible route open to ministers. As the largest health care workforce, we give the majority of care and transforming the NHS won't happen without investment in nursing.'