Senior doctors plan 48-hour strike for September in England

Consultants who are part of the British Medical Association (BMA) in England will strike on 19 and 20 September.

The 48-hour walkout will affect routine services, but emergency care will be covered after the BMA promised to provide a Christmas Day level of cover.

The dates have been announced ahead of their next strike at the end of August.

The government has said there will be no more pay talks, after agreeing to the 6% pay increase the independent pay review body recommended.

The union has asked for more to make up for what it says is repeated pay cuts.

Pay has fallen by 27% since 2008 once inflation is taken into account, but the BMA said once changes to tax and pension contributions are factored in, the cut to take-home pay is 35%.

Unlike the junior doctors, who are taking strike action next week, consultants have not put an exact figure on what they want.

Instead, they have said they want to see the government to start at least giving pay rises that match inflation.

BMA consultants committee chairman Dr Vishal Sharma urged the government to return to the negotiating table.

He said doctors were prepared to be in the fight for the "long haul".

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