Resident doctors in England have called off planned strike action after the government put forward a new offer, in a late change to one of the most protracted pay disputes in the NHS. The doctors had been set to stage a four-day walkout beginning on Monday morning.
The British Medical Association said a last-minute offer had now been made by the government. As a result, rather than pressing ahead with the imminent walkout, the union confirmed that the new offer would instead be put to its members for their consideration.
The decision marks an abrupt shift away from the planned escalation, which had been expected to disrupt hospital services across England for several days. The move to stand down the action came shortly before the walkout was due to begin on Monday.
The dispute over pay for resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, has run for several years. At its heart is a disagreement over how far the government should go in restoring doctors' pay, an issue that has repeatedly brought the two sides to the brink of industrial action.
Previous strikes in the dispute had led to the cancellation of large numbers of appointments and operations, placing the prospect of a fresh four-day walkout under close scrutiny. The calling-off of the action removes, for now, the threat of that disruption to patients.
Attention now turns to how resident doctors respond to the new offer. With the proposal set to be put to BMA members, the outcome of that process will determine whether the long-running dispute moves towards resolution or whether the threat of further action returns in the weeks ahead.