England’s junior doctors ramp up strikes in threat to emergency care

Junior doctors in England ramped up their industrial action on Wednesday, beginning the first walk-out of their biggest strike yet, which hospitals warn could threaten emergency care provision at one of the busiest times of the year. The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents around 50,000 junior doctors, said its members will walk out on Wednesday for three days, and again for six days from Jan. 3 to 9, in a long-running dispute over pay. Cheltenham General Hospital said it would close its accident and emergency department as a result of "the very challenging environment", while hospital bosses in London issued an urgent appeal to the public to use A&E services for "real emergencies only".