Public back junior doctors' strike as NHS England medics face criticism from colleagues

The UK public back the 34,000 junior doctors planning to walkout across NHS England in a row over new contracts, according to a new poll.

The mobile survey from Sky Data, of more than 1,000 people on 2 September, showed that 57% support the industrial action planned between 12 and 16 September, while 42% of respondents oppose the all-strike.

The poll comes after the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said it was "disappointed" by the decision from the British Medical Association's (BMA) decision to hold further walkouts.

"We are acutely aware that the NHS is under extreme pressure at the moment. Patient safety and quality of care must be the priority," the organisation said in statement. "We know there are genuine concerns about the contract and working arrangements, but we do not consider the proposed strikes are proportionate.

"Five days of strike action, particularly at such short notice, will cause real problems for patients, the service and the profession."

The BMA wants to lift Hunt's imposition of the work agreements, while the health secretary has promised to press on with the reforms. The dispute has already seen six days of strikes in 2016, with the row calming down in May as the parties got around the negotiating table at mitigation service Acas.

A new agreement was then drawn up between the BMA and the government, with the union urging its members to accept the offer. But 58% of their junior doctors rejected the fresh agreement. The BMA is using its November strike ballot, in which 98% of medics backed walkouts, as its mandate for the latest action.

The union's council, its ruling body, was reportedly split 16 to 14 over the decision to back the latest round of strikes.

Ellen McCourt, BMA junior doctor committee chair, said: "Genuine efforts to resolve the dispute through talks have been met with an unwillingness to engage and, at times, deafening silence from the health secretary, leaving junior doctors with no choice but to take further action. This is despite a pledge from Jeremy Hunt that his door is always open."