Wes Streeting has urged doctors to stop striking and cross picket lines “for the sake of your patients”.

Writing for The i Paper , the Health Secretary said the strike by the British Medical Association (BMA) was causing patients to be “left waiting in pain” and piling “more pressure” on overstretched NHS colleagues.

Resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors – last week began a five-day walkout in England over pay and conditions which will run until 7am on Wednesday .

Earlier this month, Streeting offered the BMA a deal aimed at averting the strike which included covering the cost of exam fees and expanding training places faster than planned.

Offer rejected

The offer was rejected by the BMA, which argues that despite resident doctors receiving a pay rise of 28.9 per cen

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