Junior doctors with the British Medical Association (BMA) recently announced their intention to go on strike in a dispute over pay and working conditions.
These medical professionals will strike across England this month after ministers said talks would only go ahead if the strike was called off.
Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England has said the strike action will have "an enormous impact on routine care for patients and on the waiting list."
With another strike set to take place in June, here is everything you need to know.
The Government has left us no option but to go on strike in England this week.
— Junior Doctors (@BMA_JuniorDocs) June 11, 2023
This morning @RobLaurensonD4P has spoken to @SophyRidgeSky about why 👇 pic.twitter.com/jZECTEASJX
Will I still be able to go to my appointment during the junior doctors strike?
A national medical director for the NHS in England has said: “Emergency, urgent and critical care will be prioritised this week, but some patients will unfortunately have had their appointments postponed – if you haven’t been contacted to reschedule, please do continue to attend your planned appointment."
Will emergency NHS services still be open during the junior doctor strike?
Emergency services will still be in operation as such care becomes prioritised by the NHS over the industrial action period.
Patients have been told to use 999 for A&E for life-threatening emergencies and NHS 111 online for all other health conditions.
We’re left with no option but to ballot our members in England for strike action. The door remains open for the Government to avert strikes by coming back to the table with a reasonable offer to #FixConsultantPay.
— BMA Consultants (@BMA_Consultants) May 15, 2023
@Vish_Sharm speaks to BBC Breakfast 👇 pic.twitter.com/e0IZp0GbQE
When is the junior doctor strike in England taking place in June?
The junior doctor strike in England is taking place on Wednesday, June 14 in action which will last around 72 hours.
The strike will begin at 7 am on Wednesday and end on Saturday, June 17 at 7 am.
Why are junior doctors striking in England?
The BMA union is seeking a pay rise for its members as it argues that junior doctor pay has fallen by 26% in real terms over the last 15 years due to below-inflation rises.
The union has been asking for a 35% pay rise to combat this, saying that the government fails to "recognise "the scale of our pay erosion".
A government spokesperson has said its proposal for a 5% pay rise was "fair and reasonable".
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here