Doctors across UK take industrial action over pay; England strike suspended after new offer

Doctors in the Isle of Man have voted to strike, while colleagues in Northern Ireland have walked out, as a planned strike in England was suspended after a last-minute government offer.

• 95% of British Medical Association members who voted on the Isle of Man supported strike action over what the union described as a 29% real-terms pay cut since 2008.
• Consultants and specialist doctors in Northern Ireland struck for 24 hours on 24 June, and resident doctors struck on 28 June, with the BMA saying pay had fallen by over 20% since 2008.
• Resident doctors in England called off a four-day strike scheduled for 15 June after the government offered faster pay scale progression and 4,500 extra training places, with no increase to this year's pay award.
• Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said he could not offer more than the 3.5% recommended by the independent pay body without affecting other public sector workers.