Junior doctors in HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union have announced a fresh 96-hour strike in its dispute with the government over a 26% cut to pay.

HCSA junior doctors in England will walk out from shifts starting from 06.59am on Tuesday 11th April until 06.59am on Saturday 15th April.

The decision to announce fresh strike dates follows the refusal of the government to drop pre-conditions for talks to resolve the dispute, which included pre-prescribed terms on the shape of any pay deal.

Announcing the strike dates, HCSA President Dr Naru Narayanan said:

“HCSA wrote to Steve Barclay last week warning that his preconditions presented an impassable barrier to us getting round the table to find a resolution.

“It is hugely disappointing that the government has seen fit to ignore the overwhelming support among junior doctors for this dispute driven by year after year of real-terms pay cuts. This isn’t about unions not playing ball, it is about a complacent underestimation of the strength of feeling on the ground and the impact that ever-decreasing pay is having on services.

“This is in a different league from anything we have seen before. Junior doctors have told us they want to see real action on long-term pay cuts to head off the growing plague of short staffing we are seeing and prevent colleagues departing abroad or from our NHS.

“To resolve this dispute the government must drop the theatrics, engage sincerely and recognise the long-term danger to the NHS and health services if we do not retain the doctors we need.”