Junior doctors will go on strike in York later this month as the pay row with the Government shows no signs of abating.

The British Medical Association (BMA) announced today (February 9) that there will be a nationwide walkout from 7am on Saturday, February 24, to 11.59pm on Wednesday, February 28. This will be a full walkout, which will include junior doctors at York Hospital.

The BMA said: "Progress was being made in talks but the Government failed to meet the deadline of February 8 to present a credible offer.

"In order to allow more time for negotiations to continue, we extended an offer to the Health Secretary to cancel this round of strikes before it was announced publicly if she agreed to extend the mandate for strike action for four weeks.

"Unfortunately she declined to do so leaving us no choice but to announce this final strike of our mandate."

The BMA has also not ruled out further strike action.

Junior doctors in England staged the longest strike in NHS history in January, for six full days from January 3 to January 9.

The latest round will be the 10th strike by junior doctors since March 2023.

The BMA said the fresh round of strikes would be the last on the union's current mandate, which expires at the end of this month.

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However, it is balloting on extending the mandate by a further six months.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said: "I want to find a reasonable solution that ends strike action.

"We already provided them with a pay increase of up to 10.3 per cent and were prepared to go further.

"We urged them to put an offer to their members, but they refused. We are also open to further discussions on improving doctors’ and the wider workforce’s working lives.

"Five days of action will put enormous pressure on the NHS and is not in the spirit of constructive dialogue."

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, described the announcement of further industrial action as “another body blow for leaders of NHS services already stretched to the limit”.

“Patients having to wait even longer for the care they need is a huge concern,” he said.

“Before it’s too late politicians and unions must get back to serious talks which can address doctors’ concerns, resolve the dispute and prevent more strikes.

“We need to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Trust leaders want to be able to put all of their energy into giving patients first-class care and cutting waiting lists rather than having to spend too much time planning for and coping with disruptive strikes.”

Junior doctors have received a pay rise averaging nearly 9% this financial year.

The BMA has been asking for 35% “pay restoration” as its starting position, but has said it is willing to negotiate.

Junior doctors make up around half of the NHS doctor workforce.

A spokesperson from the York and Scarborough NHS Foundation Trust said: "The junior doctor strike is likely to have an impact, although other doctors, including consultants and other specialist doctors, will still be working.

"Anyone with an appointment should continue to attend as planned unless they have been contacted to rearrange.

"It is even more important people choose services appropriately during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most.  This includes using 111 online as the first port, and only using 999 if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency. 

"GP practices will continue to be open during the junior doctors’ strike, so please continue to attend your appointment unless you are contacted and told otherwise."