Senior doctors call off two-day strike planned this month

Consultant doctors in England have called off their two-day strike this month to hold talks with the government.

The walkout was due begin on 25 November at 06:59 GMT, with consultants staffing emergency care only.

This is known as Christmas Day cover and was likely to have a major impact on most routine and elective or planned services.

But the British Medical Association, the trade union for doctors, said it was pausing the action to discuss pay and working conditions with the government.

Consultants – the most senior doctors in hospitals – were given a 3.5% pay increase this year.

But the BMA argues pay has fallen by a quarter over the past 17 years, once inflation is taken into account – although this is using a measure of inflation that tends to be higher than the one favoured by economists.

The union also wants a reduction in the standard working week, from 40 to 35 hours, and higher pay for out-of-hours work, alongside changes to pensions, including greater flexibility over when they can be taken.

Meetings have been taking place over recent months, but the BMA is now entering formal talks with the government's negotiating team. They could start as soon as this week.

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