Junior doctors in Northern Ireland have said they will stage further strike action after pay talks with the Department of Health broke down.
Two 48-hour walkouts will take place from 07:00 BST on 22 May to 07:00 BST on 24 May and the same time on 6 June to 8 June.
NI Junior Doctor Committee (NIJDC) chair Dr Fiona Griffin said doctors had been left with “no choice”.
Previously, the British Medical Association (BMA) said junior doctors’ salaries in Northern Ireland had fallen by 30% over the past 15 years.
However, this does not take into account weekend or out-of-hours work.
Dr Griffin said on Thursday that following a meeting with health officials, the NIJDC was “very disappointed” there had been no progress on pay “including a commitment to work towards full pay restoration”.
“We must act on behalf of our members who voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking strike action for full pay restoration,” Dr Griffin added.
The government “must act now and prioritise staff pay” if the health service is to survive and retain doctors, said Dr Griffin.
What is a junior doctor?
Junior doctors are qualified doctors who are still involved in clinical training, according to the British Medical Association (BMA).
Patients may be treated by a junior doctor in a hospital or general practice setting.
All have completed a medical degree and can have up to nine years’ of working experience as a hospital doctor or up to five years working and gaining experience to become a GP.
They work under the supervision of a senior doctor.
