Junior doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA) have refused to call off next week’s three-day strike.

They were responding to health secretary Steve Barclay’s invitation to enter formal pay talks, made on the condition that junior doctors cancel all planned strike action.

Co-chairs of the BMA’s junior doctors’ committee, Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Robert Laurenson, wrote: “We remain open to entering talks with government anytime and anywhere to bring this dispute to a swift resolution and restore the pay that junior doctors have lost.

“We would encourage you to reconsider the preconditions that are currently preventing talks from taking place.

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“As you have known for more than two weeks, our strikes will commence on Monday. And you also know, until we have a credible offer, we are not in a position to call them off.” — PA