Responding to the British Medical Association (BMA) announcement that junior doctors will strike for 72 hours straight next month, Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers said:

"Trust leaders have been bracing themselves for the outcome of the BMA's ballot of junior doctors. Today's overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action has confirmed these fears.

"An unprecedented 72-hour strike next month is extremely worrying as the NHS battles to cope with the effects of the most widespread industrial action in its history, soon to include a 48-hour walkout by nurses from 1 March.

"Leaders across the NHS are deeply concerned about the impact this will have on their ability to deliver care, especially as hospitals will now be left without emergency cover by junior doctors for three days straight.

"More than 140,000 appointments have already been postponed due to industrial action. This figure will rise significantly with the ramping up of walkouts from nurses, ambulance staff, and now junior doctors. An urgent resolution is needed if we are to prevent harm to patients and the NHS.

"Trust leaders will do everything they can to mitigate the impact of these strikes on services, but disruption is inevitable, and they're worried it will hamper efforts to tackle care backlogs and meet elective targets.

"Nobody wants this, but burnt-out frontline staff feel they've been pushed to this point by challenges including the rising cost of living, below-inflation pay and vast workforce shortages.

"While we wait for the BMA to confirm the exact date of this walkout, it remains in the government's gift to bring this spiralling disruption to an immediate end by talking to the unions about pay for this financial year."