CONSULTANTS will be staging another 48 hour walkout in south Devon from tomorrow. 

Members of the British Medical Association will be on strike from 7am tomorrow until 7am on Saturday in their ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. 

The strike will once again be based on Christmas Day levels of cover, meaning emergency care will still be provided.

The latest action means the NHS is now in the ninth month of strike action.

Tomorrow’s walkout is in response to what the BMA calls a ‘derisory’, sub-inflation Government offer of a 6 per cent rise. 

The BMA describes this as ‘another real-terms pay cut on doctors’.

A spokesman for Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust said: ‘This is not a dispute between our people and our trust, and we want to thank you for continuing to support your NHS.

‘We are working hard to minimise disruption to our services, and we have measures in place to ensure the safety and welfare of our patients and our staff. ‘Please attend your appointments unless we have contacted you to cancel or re-arrange.’

Health bosses are asking the public to only call 999 or visit the emergency department for life-threatening or critical conditions. 

Routine health enquiries can be dealt with by GPs or by calling 111. 

Further advice for minor ailments is available from a community pharmacist, and get broken bones, animal bites and insect stings, and other minor injuries treated at minor injuries unit in Totnes or urgent treatment centre in Newton Abbot.

Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, said: ‘The Government has once again imposed a savage real terms pay cut on consultants. 

‘When inflation is running at more than 11per cent, this is nothing short of insulting. 

‘Consultants have always been clear that industrial action is a last resort but in the face of a Government intent on devaluing consultants’ expertise and their lack of regard for the impact this is having on the NHS, we have been left with no choice. 

‘We’ve had our pay cut year after year, put our lives on the line during a pandemic and now are managing a record backlog of care.

‘Cutting pay once again shows the Government’s complete disregard for the profession.’