Junior doctors' strike: Government 'rules out' fresh talks with BMA as first ever full walk-out looks set to go ahead

Negotiations have stalled, mainly over the issue of Saturday pay

An strike inclusive of emergency care has never been done before (Getty Images)

A total strike by junior doctors for the first time in the history of the NHS looks set to go ahead after the Government reportedly 'ruled out' further negotiations over a new contract.

A complete walk-out by junior medics, including A&E and intensive care, is planned for 26 and 27 April.

Talks have been going on for months between the junior doctors' trade union the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Government, but have now stalled - mainly over the issue of Saturday pay.

Insider sources told the BBC that the BMA had "blown its chance" to further negotiations and there would be no further changes to a new contract due to be imposed on junior doctors in August.

The Department of Health has not denied plans to push on with the changes and a spokesperson told The Independent: "The escalation of strike action by the BMA will inevitably put patients in harm's way. We have continually sought a negotiated solution over three years of talks, during which there were two walkouts from the BMA, and now there's only the one issue of Saturday pay outstanding.

"If the doctors' union had agreed to negotiate on that as they promised to do through ACAS in November, we'd have a negotiated agreement by now.

"Instead, we had no choice but to proceed with proposals recommended and supported by NHS leaders — which were ninety per cent agreed with the BMA.”

This corresponds with a long standing government determination to push through the changes.

“The matter is closed,” said Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to the Health Service Journal in March, in comments which have recently emerged.

“We have been trying to discuss this now for three years, and I think the wrong thing to do in the face of unreasonable behaviour is to say, ‘Well, in that case, we’re going to back down.’”

The Government has complained about the uncompromising attitude of the BMA and said doctors’ representatives had refused to bend on the contentious issue of Saturday pay.

Doctors currently receive a higher wage for unsocial 7pm to 7am Saturday shifts, but the Government, who are working towards a ‘Seven Day NHS’, argue the current system - dating to the 1990s - is now unfair and outdated.

Their new contract will increase basic pay by an average of 13.5 per cent but other benefits, such as extra pay for weekend night shifts, will be reduced.

However, doctors argue this could force them into working more night shifts and even push them to exhaustion, ultimately compromising the safety of patients.

The Government said that without the will to tackle the issue of Saturday pay, there is no point continuing negotiations.

However, the BMA said it is willing to negotiate further. Chair of the junior doctors committee Dr Johann Malawana said on Thursday: "Any future action is wholly avoidable, but the government must get back around the negotiating table and end this dispute through talks."

A two-day strike by doctors, ending Friday, maintained emergency care but more than 5,000 procedures and operations were cancelled, according to the Department of Health.