JUNIOR doctors in Wales will complete another two rounds of strike action over the next two months, the British Medical Association has announced.

It could mean more than 3,000 doctors withdraw their labour from hospitals and GP surgeries.

The walkouts will cover 168 hours across nine dates in February and March.

The first round commences Wednesday, February 21, and the second begins on Monday, March 25.

The announcement comes barely a month after the last junior doctor walkout as BMA Cymru Wales rejected the Welsh Government’s offer of a five per cent pay rise which it called the “worst” in the UK.

The Welsh Government said it cannot improve its offer without additional funding from the UK Government.

Planned junior doctor walkouts in Wales

• 7am, Wednesday, February 21 – 7am, Saturday, February 24.

• 7am, Monday, March 25 – 7am, Friday, March 29.

Dr Oba Babs-Osibodu and Dr Peter Fahey, co-chairs of BMA Cymru Wales’ junior doctors committee, say they remain ready to enter discussions if the Welsh Government presents a “credible offer”.

“No doctor wants to strike, but whilst those in power fail to grasp the seriousness of the situation and the strength of feeling amongst our members we feel we have been left with no choice," said the co-chairs.

“We can no longer accept the unacceptable. After years of undervaluing our lifesaving service, our resolve has never been stronger. With record-high membership, we’re now a bigger, stronger union, and together we remain steadfast in our aim to restore our pay.”

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The union says it is not asking for a pay rise but a “restoration” in line with inflation. In real terms, the campaign says, junior doctors' pay has been eroded by 30 per cent since 2008/09.

Health minister Eluned Morgan MS recognised “legitimate aspirations for pay restoration and to address the cost-of-living crisis” in April last year.

The BMA Cymru Wales co-chairs added: “Pay needs to be fair and competitive with other healthcare systems across the world to retain and recruit doctors and NHS staff to provide much-needed care.

“Junior doctors are experiencing worsening conditions because of significant gaps in the workforce and so more and more doctors are now looking to leave Wales to develop their careers for better pay and a better quality of life elsewhere”.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that doctors have decide to take industrial action again, but we understand their strength of feeling about the 5 per cent pay offer.

“While we wish to address their pay restoration ambitions, our offer is at the limits of the finances available to us and reflects the position reached with the other health unions for this year.  

"Without additional funding from the UK Government, we are not in a position to currently offer any more. We will continue to press them to pass on the funding necessary for full and fair pay rises for public sector workers.

 “We remain committed to working in social partnership with the British Medical Association and are available for further talks at any stage. We will work with them and NHS Wales to ensure patient safety is protected during industrial action.”