A five-day walkout by junior doctors, taking their total strike days to more than 40 since March 2023, led to more than 60,000 postponed appointments, NHS England figures show.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive, NHS Providers, said:

"For patients and an NHS stretched to the limit it just can't carry on like this.

"The new government and unions must make bringing disruptive strikes to a halt a priority and act immediately to find a way to resolve the long-running junior doctors' dispute.

"The latest strike meant yet more disruption and disappointment for thousands of patients waiting for operations, scans and other care. More than 1.5m appointments have been hit by industrial action across England's NHS in the last 18 months.

"The next government must reset the relationship with NHS employees so that leaders of hospital, mental health, community health and ambulance trusts can put all of their time and energy into cutting waiting times and looking after patients instead of dealing with industrial action."