Almost 88,000 routine appointments and procedures were postponed across England due to last week's three-day strike by junior doctors, NHS England figures show.

Miriam Deakin, NHS Providers director of policy and strategy, said:

"We can't go on like this. We can't afford another year of walkouts. This dispute needs urgent resolution.

"Trust leaders understand junior doctors' strength of feeling and why they're striking but with a hugely disruptive six-day strike – the longest in NHS history – looming at the start of January it's now vital that the government and unions find a way to restart talks and prevent more walkouts.

"With more than 1.2m hospital, mental health and community service appointments including operations and scans delayed since last December thanks to industrial action, patients are paying the price.

"During strikes emergency treatment is the priority, unfortunately meaning trusts have to reschedule lots of planned care. Industrial action by NHS staff over the year has cost the NHS around £2bn too.

"Strikes don't help efforts to cut waiting lists and add to particularly severe pressure at this time of year, not just in hospitals but for ambulance, mental health and community services.

"It's proving to be another tough winter right across the NHS in the face of steadily rising demand. But trust leaders and hardworking staff, as ever, are pulling together to keep patients safe."