Hospitals in frantic dash to fill gaps left by doctors’ strike

Consultants who refuse to do extra work threatened with having their pay docked as NHS trusts race to empty their wards

Hospital trusts are taking desperate measures to limit the predicted loss of life from this week's NHS strikes - including threatening consultants who refuse to do extra work, and tempting junior doctors to cross picket lines by increasing locum pay - as fears grows that many wards could be left without medical cover.

NHS leaders and senior clinicians fear the four-day walkout by junior doctors - starting at 6.59am on Tuesday and continuing until 6.59am on Saturday - will lead to the cancellation of hundreds of thousands of operations and appointments, while putting seriously ill patients at greater risk.