Put patients and tackling flu before strike rhetoric

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive, NHS Providers, said:

"It’s in nobody's interests if the strike goes ahead next week as the NHS grapples with a really nasty flu outbreak putting lots of people in hospital. 

"But if the five-day strike does take place then we trust resident doctors will act responsibly when asked by the NHS to ensure safe staffing.

"The government offer to sort out the training bottleneck is unprecedented and we hope that resident doctors take it up.

"Rhetoric about the potential industrial action needs calming down because the pressure this tidal wave of flu is putting on the NHS is making this the most challenging December in many years."