Senior doctors in England begin 1st strike in decade

LONDON

Senior doctors across England began a 48-hour strike on Thursday, their first industrial action in a decade.

The strike over pay dispute by thousands of consultants and members of the British Medical Association (BMA) will continue until 7 a.m. local time (0600GMT) on Saturday.

The two-day action, which prompted postponement of thousands of already scheduled appointments, becomes the first walkout by senior doctors since 2012.

On June 27, the BMA said that 86.08% of their members – over 20,700 members – voted for walkout.

Britain's National Health Service (NHS) warned that the walkout would have the most severe impact in its history.

"This could undoubtedly be the most severe impact we have ever seen in the NHS as a result of industrial action, with routine care virtually at a standstill for 48 hours," Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said in a statement on Wednesday.

It also comes two days after the end of a five-day strike by junior doctors, which affected over 100,000 appointments, according to the NHS.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Steve Barclay urged the union and doctors to end their action, saying the government's 6% pay rise this year, on top of last year's 4.5% increase, is the final offer.

However, the BMA, which called the offer "derisory," said this is an "insult to consultants."