Tens of thousands of so-called junior doctors walked off the job for the sixth time since last December in an escalation of their increasingly bitter pay dispute with the British government.
Consultants are to return to work on Thursday, while junior doctors are to stay out until Saturday.
Political Cartoons View All 1169 ImagesIt is the first time in the 75-year history of the NHS that both consultants and junior doctors have walked off at the same time.
The British Medical Association, which represents the approximately 75,000 junior doctors, has been asking for a 35% pay increase to return to 2008 levels after inflation is taken into account.
The government is offering junior doctors an average increase of 8.8% and consultants 6% plus improvements in their pensions.
Persons:
Rishi Sunak, Damian Tolan, ”
Organizations:
—, National Health Service, British Medical Association, stoke
Locations:
— Britain's, England, Britain, Leeds, Europe, United Kingdom