Resident doctors call off strike after government makes new offer

Resident doctors in England have cancelled strikes that were set to begin on Monday, after the government made a last-minute offer.

The British Medical Association said the new proposal would be put to its members for a vote. The walkout had been scheduled to run from Monday morning until Friday, and would have been the 16th in a long-running dispute over pay.

Health Secretary James Murray said the offer was a chance to draw a line under damaging disputes, while the BMA said the government had shifted its position.

The new offer includes faster pay increases next year, 4,500 extra training places for newly qualified doctors, and covered exam fees. Resident doctors have received pay rises worth 33% over the past four years, with starting salaries now just over £40,000.

Sir Ciarán Devane, chief executive of the NHS Alliance, called the suspension a vital chance to reset the conversation and urged both sides to strike a fair, sustainable agreement.