Full walkout of junior doctors planned for late April

The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that junior doctors will stage a full walkout on April 26th and 27th as the dispute over the new government contract rolls on.

A full withdrawal of labour between 08:00 and 17:00 will take place next month as the organisation escalates its programme of industrial action, while the 48-hour period of action from April 6th to 8th, during which junior doctors will provide emergency care only, will also go ahead as planned.

This comes in response to the lack of governmental progress made on addressing the medical industry's key safety concerns with the new junior doctors' contract. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that the contract will be imposed in August regardless of these concerns.

A previous ballot of junior doctors saw 98 percent vote in favour of industrial action, including the possibility of a full withdrawal of service.

BMA council chair Mark Porter said: "We have been left with no alternative but to escalate the action, in order that the legitimate grievances expressed by thousands of junior doctors are heard."