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Senior doctors in England will stage their third strike since July on September 19 and 20 unless the government presents the profession with a “credible” pay offer, the BMA announced on Monday. 

Accusing ministers of intransigence, Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, appealed to the health secretary, Steve Barclay, “to return to the table and discuss both pay and reform of the rigged pay review process, so that we can reach a point where strikes are not necessary”.

The consultants have already announced a stoppage on August 24 and 25. Both then, and next month, they will offer a “Christmas Day” service of emergency-only cover. Last month the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, accepted the recommendation of the independent doctors’ pay review body and said the offer was “final” and “no amount of strikes will change this decision”.