Chris Hopson, chief executive, NHS Providers, said:

"Our members are saying that this does now need to reach a conclusion. The ideal conclusion would be for employers to make a final, fair and reasonable offer and for the BMA to accept it. if the BMA doesn’t accept it, our members are saying that the Secretary of State has to find a way to bring this to a conclusion. Four years later and three thousand operations cancelled today, our members are saying that, to run their trusts effectively, we can’t carry on like this. For them, if the BMA won’t accept a fair and reasonable offer, then it would be legitimate and sensible for the Secretary of State to consider imposition."