Steve Barclay says the junior doctors' union is taken a "militant stance" on negotiations over pay. The English Health Secretary says demands made by the British Medical Association (BMA) are unrealistic.
It comes as junior doctors across England are set to walk out for four days from Tuesday. The union wants its members to receive a 35% pay increase, which it says will make up for 15 years of below-inflation wage rises.
The union claims pay has led to a struggle in recruitment and retention. It said the industrial action could still be avoided if the Government makes a “credible offer”, but the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has insisted the strikes must be called off before any negotiations take place.
