The British Medical Association has announced a new round of strikes in England after talks with the government broke down again.
The union and government have been in dialogue throughout the summer and early fall following the last strike at the end of July.
But the BMA said that because no progress was being made, resident doctors would begin a five-day strike (the new name for junior doctors) starting Friday 14 November.
It will be the 13th strike in the long-running wage dispute since March 2023 and is expected to cause major disruption, particularly in hospitals.
Resident doctors make up almost half of the medical staff and range from doctors fresh out of university to doctors with decades of experience.
They will come from both emergency and elective care, and senior doctors will be brought in to provide cover.
While the NHS tried to keep as many routine services running as possible during the latest strike, thousands of surgeries and appointments still had to be postponed.
Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA's resident physician committee, said: “This is not where we wanted to be.
“We have spoken to the government in good faith. We hoped that the Government would see that our requests were not only reasonable, but were in the interests of the public and our patients, and would help stop our doctors leaving the NHS.
“Although we want to make a deal, the government does not seem to be doing so and we are left with no choice but to call for a strike.”
Health Minister Wes Streeting has maintained throughout this year that he will not negotiate pay after resident doctors received a pay rise of almost 30% over the past three years.
Negotiations thus focused on career advancement, working conditions, and personal expenses such as exam fees.
The union claims that despite the pay rise, resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than in 2008 when inflation is taken into account.
They also said they want the government to address the shortage of jobs after the second year of training, when resident doctors enter specialty training.
This year there have been more than 30,000 applicants for 10,000 jobs in this phase, although some will be doctors from overseas.
Health Minister Wes Streeting called the claim “absurd”.
“The BMA is rejecting proposals to improve the working conditions of resident doctors and create more roles in the specialty needed to advance their careers. BMA blocks better deal for doctors.
“These unjustified and unnecessary strikes have no public support.
“The BMA’s reckless stance will harm patients, leave other doctors and NHS staff picking up the pieces and divert resources from rebuilding the NHS.”
Rory Deighton of the NHS Confederation, which represents health leaders, said he was “bitterly disappointed” talks had broken down again and called on the BMA to return to the negotiating table.
“We must now prepare to mitigate the disruption of further strikes while they prepare for what is likely to be another very difficult winter, while continuing to put pressure on their elected waiting lists.
“Ultimately, despite best efforts to plan and provide contingencies, it is patients who bear the brunt of the strikes as more appointments, tests and surgeries are cancelled, causing people to wait longer for the care they need.”
