Earlier this week, the BMA revealed that resident doctors in England would walk out for five consecutive days from 7am on 25 July amid a pay dispute with the Government.

The BBC says discussions will take place this week, with the BMA telling the broadcaster industrial action would only be called off if it receives an offer it can put to its members.

Streeting is reportedly sympathetic to improving working conditions for doctors, but will not budge on salaries.

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.'

The news comes as new Ipsos data suggests public support for resident doctors' industrial action has fallen from 52% to 26% since June last year, when they last went on strike.