The British Medical Association (BMA) and Health Secretary Wes Streeting have agreed to resume talks following the end of the latest resident doctors' strike in England.
The five-day strike, which ended on Wednesday morning, comes after negotiations failed last week.
After the strike ended, Streeting proposed resuming negotiations early next week following the union's request to return to the bargaining table.
The BMA accepted the proposal. Streeting said he was not willing to negotiate wages, but instead resumed previous talks that had focused on working conditions, including career progression, exam pay and job rotation.
However, he warned the union that it had fallen out of favor with the government due to the latest strike, which ended on Wednesday.
Streeting's letter to the BMA on Wednesday said it was “ironic” that the BMA was asking for talks, noting that he had never left the negotiating table.
Previous negotiations ended last Tuesday when the union confirmed the five-day strike would continue.
It was the 12th strike since the spring of 2023, but the first under Labour.
Shortly after the election, Streeting struck a deal with local doctors that ended the strikes.
This resulted in a 22% increase in wages over a two-year period. This year they were given another average increase of 5.4%, but the BMA renewed the strike, arguing it was not enough as wages were still a fifth lower than in 2008.
In his letter on Wednesday, Streeting said the latest strike was “deeply disappointing” and “completely unnecessary” given that the negotiations that had begun could significantly improve the working lives of doctors.
He said the strike was having a detrimental effect on patients.
And Streeting added: “Your actions were also doomed to failure, because you squandered a significant part of the goodwill that you had towards me and this government.”
But he said his door remains open, adding that he is happy to meet early next week.
The BMA's resident physician co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said they looked forward to returning to talks with the health minister.
“We hope that this time he will feel able to make a more detailed proposal for a settlement that is tangible and acceptable.”
The extent of the disruption to health services caused by the latest strike is unclear.
The NHS has tried to retain most non-urgent work, such as knee and hip operations.
Some hospitals reported that they were able to perform more than 80% of their normal activities, compared with previously only 50%.
Resident doctors make up almost half of the medical staff and range from doctors fresh out of university to doctors with decades of experience.
