Junior doctors in the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) will strike next month in a dispute over pay, for the first time in the union’s history.

In a ballot of training-grade doctors employed by NHS trusts in England in January, 97.48% voted in favour of striking, on a 74.76% turnout.

Announcing a walkout on Wednesday March 15, HCSA president Dr Naru Narayanan said: “Junior doctors have held together patient care amid a spiralling staffing crisis.

“In return for this huge emotional, mental and physical toll they’ve been subjected to a decade of real-terms pay cuts totalling over 26%. Enough is enough.

Oxford Mail: Junior doctors in England are set to strike on March 15Junior doctors in England are set to strike on March 15 (Image: PA)

“Our NHS is in an intolerable situation and junior doctors will not be taken for granted anymore. They are taking decisive action for their patients and for their own wellbeing.

“Falling pay, increasing workloads and dangerous levels of understaffing have driven carers across the NHS to strike.

“The blame for this lies solely with a complacent Government, seemingly content to let patient care suffer.

“The ball is firmly in the Government’s court. It must act now to negotiate a proper pay increase -part of a wider funding package for the NHS.

“Junior doctors are telling us that without change they will leave the NHS or leave the country entirely for better-paid medical jobs elsewhere. Our health service simply cannot afford for that to happen.”

The HCSA represents hospital doctors of all grades across the UK and balloted training-grade doctors employed by NHS trusts in England.

The union previously said that out of 531 people who were entitled to vote, 397 took part in the ballot.

Around 45,000 junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) have also been balloted on strike action.

The result of this ballot is due at the end of February.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We hugely value the work of junior doctors and we have been clear that supporting and retaining the NHS workforce is one of our main priorities.

“As part of a multi-year deal we agreed with the BMA, junior doctors’ pay has increased by a cumulative 8.2% since 2019/20. We also introduced a higher pay band for the most experienced staff and increased rates for night shifts.

“The Health and Social Care Secretary has met with the BMA and other medical unions to discuss pay, conditions and workload.

“He’s been clear he wants to continue discussing how we can make the NHS a better place to work for all.”