Hard line doctors threaten to inflict years of misery on patients by staging strikes beyond 2025

HARD line doctors are threatening to inflict years of misery on patients by staging walkouts beyond 2025.

Junior medics and hospital consultants will walk out for a total of seven days this month over their pay demands.

Dr Phil Banfield will ramp up the pressure on the government today in Liverpool at the British Medical Association annual rally, saying doctors will “strike to the next general election — and beyond — if that is what it takes”.

He has written to PM Rishi Sunak demanding talks over the next two weeks through a mediator to break the deadlock to avert the walk outs.

But Health Secretary Steve Barclay yesterday accused junior doctors of “suddenly” walking away from negotiations.

The BMA has previously told the government they must boost their pay by 35 per cent to make up for below inflation wages for the past 15 years.

However, it emerged last week that hospital consultants, who earn on average £128,000, can perform private work while they are on strike action this month.

NHS boss Amanda Pritchard said strikes by her staff can’t become “business as usual”.

She told the BBC more than 500,000 appointments had already been rescheduled due to walkouts and it was “heartbreaking” to tell patients their dates were being changed.

Junior medics will walk out between July 13-18 and senior hospital doctors will stage a strike on July 20-21.