The meeting in London comes a week after the news that resident doctors in England have voted for strike action in the fight for pay restoration. They will stage a full walkout from 7am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.

In a joint statement BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Ross Nieuwoudt and Dr Melissa Ryan said they are ‘happy to continue discussions to find a solution'.

They said: ‘We are glad that the secretary of state has taken us up on our offer and we look forward to constructive discussions, in the hope that we can make progress that would be sufficient to support suspending the planned strike.'

Earlier this week, Streeting has warned the BMA there is ‘no room for manoeuvre on pay', and said the decision by resident doctors to walk out was ‘unreasonable and unnecessary', as well as ‘self-defeating'.

The meeting is scheduled to last up to 90 minutes.