Senior doctors call off two-day strike planned this month

Consultant doctors in England have called off their two-day strike this month to hold talks with the government.

The walkout was due begin on 25 November at 06:59 GMT, with consultants staffing emergency care only.

This is known as Christmas Day cover and was likely to have a major impact on most routine and elective or planned services.

But the British Medical Association, the trade union for doctors, said it was pausing the action to discuss pay and working conditions with the government.

Consultants – the most senior doctors in hospitals – were given a 3.5% pay increase this year.