This week’s five-day doctor strike in England will go ahead despite a new offer from the government.

The British Medical Association said 83% of its members had voted to continue with the walkout in an online poll over the weekend, with a turnout of 65%.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “gutted” by the result, describing it as “irresponsible” given the rising pressure from flu.

The union agreed to the snap poll last week after the government came forward with a fresh deal which included increasing speciality training posts and covering out-of-pocket expenses like exam fees.

The strike by resident doctors, the new name for junior doctors, is due to start at 07:00 on Wednesday.Sir Keir, who was appearing in front of MPs on the Liaison Committee, said: “It’s irresponsible at any time, particularly at the moment.

“It comes on the back of a very substantial pay increase in the last year or so.

“There’s a deal that we’ve put on the table that could have been taken forward, and so I think it’s irresponsible action by the BMA, and not for the first time.”

The offer did not include any promises on pay – Health Secretary Wes Streeting has maintained he will not negotiate on that after resident doctors pay has been increased by nearly 30% in the past three years.

The BMA argues that, despite the pay rises, resident doctors’ pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation is taken into account.

Streeting said the pay demands were “fantasy”.

And he added: “The BMA has chosen Christmas strikes to inflict damage on the NHS at the moment of maximum danger. These strikes are self-indulgent, irresponsible and dangerous.”

He said he hoped resident doctors would still go to work, saying there was a different magnitude of risk striking at this moment.Flu pressures

Data shows the number of patients in hospital with flu had risen by more than 50% in a week, topping 2,600 in the first week of December, with officials warning there is still no sign of it peaking yet.

Flu came early this winter, and it looks to be a particularly nasty season.

The strain that is circulating is H3N2, which tends to cause more severe illness, and it has mutated somewhat with fears people may have less immunity.

This will be the 14th strike in the long-running dispute which began in March 2023.

Resident doctors, which represent nearly half the medical workforce, will walk out of both emergency and non-urgent care. Senior doctors will be drafted in to provide cover.