ALT Part one of two of a quote from Secretary of State for Health and Social Care James Murray. "It is a positive and welcome development – especially for patients – that the BMA have called off these unnecessary strikes. "I am pleased that the BMA have understood they have a Secretary of State and a government that wants to work with them for the benefit of both resident doctors and patients. "After a 28.9% pay rise for resident doctors over the last three years, the country simply cannot afford to increase the pay offer for this year. I am pleased that the BMA have recognised this, which has allowed us to make progress in other areas, such as training places and working conditions. "I want to thank staff across the NHS for the way they have consistently risen to the challenges posed by repeated strike action. I hope they will be encouraged by today’s step forward, as will patients and the taxpayer, who can be reassured that all the necessary funding is coming from existing budgets."

ALT Part two of two of a quote from Secretary of State for Health and Social Care James Murray. "The government will now work intensively with the BMA over the coming days to finalise the details of the deal before it is put to their members. In line with the terms agreed today, the BMA Resident Doctors Committee, whose leadership have worked constructively and intensively with my officials to agree this deal, must now recommend this deal to their members. "This is a good deal for resident doctors. It boosts their pay, improves their career prospects, and improves their working lives. It represents the chance to draw a line under the damaging disputes of recent years and to usher in a new period of industrial peace, where the government and resident doctors work together to make the NHS fit for the future."