NHS consultants warn of further strikes and ‘tipping point’ unless government enters talks

BMA committee chair says he fears pay erosion is creating risk of a two-tier health service similar to dentistry

A doctors' leader has warned that consultants will not back down in their pay dispute and warned of further strikes next month unless the government offers meaningful talks" on a settlement.

Vishal Sharma, chair of the British Medical Association's consultants committee, said the NHS was at a tipping point", with many senior doctors considering quitting over healthcare failures and the erosion of their pay. He said there was a risk of a two-tier service emerging similar to the one in NHS dentistry, with patients going private to avoid long waits.