JUNIOR doctors returned to the picket lines today as they began their fifth round of strike action, demanding that pay be restored to the level of a decade ago.

The four-day stoppage ends at 7am on Tuesday.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay again attacked the doctors, accusing them of adding to record waiting lists.

But the British Medical Association condemned Mr Barclay for refusing to negotiate and “adding insult to injury” by blaming them for the treatment backlogs.

Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairmen of the union’s junior doctors committee, said: “It has now been almost three months since the government was last willing to talk to junior doctors about their pay.

“Since then, we have stated repeatedly that our door remains open for talks at any time, as long as we could be presented with a credible offer that would address pay erosion of more than a quarter over the last 15 years.

“Instead of acting responsibly and coming to the table, the government has wasted time by first saying nothing and then having the Prime Minister declare an end to talks without first having stepped into the room with doctors.

“He then adds insult to injury by blaming those same doctors for rising waiting lists.

“Sooner or later, the government will accept that they need to work with doctors, rather than against them. We are here to talk when they do.”

Mr Barclay claimed that the doctors’ strike action had led to the postponement of 800,000 operations. The number of patients on waiting lists stands at 7.4 million and rising.