NHS bosses fear for patient safety during six-day junior doctor strike

Hospital bosses worry BMA will not honour agreement to return junior doctors to work in event of major incident

NHS bosses fear patient safety could be compromised during this week's junior doctors strikes if medics do not honour an agreement to abandon picket lines if hospitals become overwhelmed during the winter crisis.

Hospital bosses can ask the British Medical Association (BMA) to allow junior doctors to return to work to help if an emergency arises during their six-day strike starting on Wednesday.