Last night Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said the union should reopen negotiations.
Urging the junior doctors to call off their action, she claimed the union had “walked away” from negotiations that had been progressing well and that patients would “suffer the consequences”.
The strikes are due to take place between December 20-23, then from January 3-9 – the busiest time of year for medics.
One NHS boss has warned that patients will be more at risk of harm than during the pandemic.
He said: “The BMA has become devoid of humanity.
“If it really didn’t want to risk patients, as it claims, it wouldn’t be announcing strikes at a time
of greatest risk in the NHS and giving only two weeks’ notice.”
He added: “The pandemic was a massive challenge. But in terms of our ability to see patients safely, Covid pales into insignificance. During Covid we had sufficient staff. This time we do not have sufficient staff.”
Writing for the Sunday Exp-ress, Ms Atkins said that the walkouts by junior doctors will place additional pressure on the system and on non-striking staff “at a time when many would like to take well-earned leave”.
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, a membership group for NHS bodies, said: “Winter is always the toughest time of year for the NHS.
“The impact of industrial action cannot be overstated.”
Nick Hulme, chief executive of two NHS trusts, said: “To get two weeks’ notice at the most difficult time of year will cause maximum disruption and potentially significant harm to patients.”
Dr Emma Runswick, BMA deputy chairwoman, said trusts had been given sufficient notice and non-striking staff would cover emergency care.
She said: “Ministers should be making sure our health service is safely staffed 365 days a year.”
Hospital waiting lists have now reached a record 7.8 million.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has warned there would be no windfall for the health service under a Labour government, saying: “The NHS is going to have to get used to the factthat money is tight.”
He also criticised the bumper 12.8 percent pay rise handed to consultants, saying it was a “slap in the face” to nurses who received much less.
