Hospital consultant doctors go on strike for two days

It is their second set of action following a successful ballot in which 86 per cent of the more than 24,000 consultants who took part voted for industrial action.

This industrial action will take the form of Christmas Day cover.

This means that most routine and elective services will be cancelled but full emergency cover will remain in place.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said: “I am concerned and disappointed that the BMA has gone ahead with this industrial action which will continue to affect patients and hamper efforts to cut NHS waiting lists.

“I’m aware some consultants cut short their annual leave over the most recent periods of industrial action by the BMA Junior Doctors Committee and I am incredibly grateful to those staff who came forward to help protect patients and services.

“We have accepted the independent pay review body recommendations in full, giving consultants a six per cent% pay rise which means average NHS earnings for consultants of £134,000, on top of a pension where generous tax changes mean a consultant can retire at age 65 with a pension each year for life of £78,000 a year.

"This pay award is final and I urge the BMA to call an end to strikes.”

More information on the increase to NHS staff pay can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-staff-receive-pay-rise