Mrs May said: “The Government is putting patients first, the BMA should be putting patients first – not playing politics”.
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That’s equivalent to half a million cancelled operations and 4mn lost outpatient appointments.
But divisions emerged among some of those claiming to oppose the action, after Professor Neena Modi, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that her college had not signed up to the statement issued by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
The doctors will stage a full withdrawal of labour on 5 consecutive days between the hours of 8am and 5pm from Monday 12 September to Friday 16 September.
Hospital managers will have less time to prepare contingency plans to deal with this month’s walkout than they did when junior doctors last held industrial action in April.
BMA junior doctor committee chair Ellen McCourt said in a statement: “If he agrees to do this, junior doctors will call off industrial action”.
“With barely any notice for trusts to prepare, this unprecedented level of strike action will cause major disruption and risk patient safety”, he added. But 58% of their junior doctors rejected the fresh agreement. It goes on: “If you are pressured not to take strike action for this reason [patient safety], you should contact the BMA”. “We know there are genuine concerns about the contract and working arrangements, but we do not consider the proposed strikes are proportionate”.
Murphy urged the government and the BMA “to resume meaningful and honest negotiations to prevent further industrial action”.
A host of health organisations have also questioned the decision to extend the bitter campaign, which has been called “extremely worrying” and a “devastating blow to patients”.
The Patients Association condemned the announcement, saying it was a “disturbing” time to be an NHS patient.
She added that the public supported the medical profession but the extent of the strikes risked eroding public trust.
Chief executive of Nuffield Trust Nigel Edwards said the strikes could have a long-term impact on hospital funding, which could be cut because of cancellations.
A hospital spokesman said: “We are now putting in place plans to ensure we provide a safe service for our patients throughout the strike, including anyone who needs emergency or urgent care”.
A five-day strike by junior doctors will take place across England between 12-16 September due to the BMA’s ongoing dispute with the government over new contracts.
“We want to resolve this dispute through talks, but in forcing through a contract that junior doctors have rejected and which they don’t believe is good for their patients or themselves, the Government has left them with no other choice”.
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“We believe that progress was made during talks in May, so we are calling for the government to lift the imposition and restart meaningful talks to agree a contract that is adequately funded, fit for goal, delivers for patients and has the confidence of the profession”.
