'Widespread disruption' expected in Derry with junior doctors set to go on 48 hour strike

Junior doctors are set to go on strike this morning until Saturday this week, with doctors at Altnagelvin and local GP surgeries set to take part. 
Health authorities expect 'widespread disruption' to normal services, with the strike action set to commence at 7am today and run until 7am Saturday.
The strike is part of the BMA Junior Doctors’ Committee’s ongoing campaign for improved pay and conditions, following on from similar action last month and in March.
The 48-hour strike will lead to reduced services, warned the Department of Health. 
The DoH said in a statement: "Further disruption to health services will be experienced this week, due to the latest strike action called by the BMA Junior Doctors’ Committee.
"Patients are advised to expect widespread disruption to normal services.
"Health & Social Care (HSC) Trust websites will provide more information later this week on affected service areas."
And the Department has claimed there has been a pay offer made to the BMA Junior Doctors’ Committee.
"When the ballot for this industrial action was launched, junior doctors, like the rest of Northern Ireland’s health service staff, had received no pay award for 2023/24.
“This is no longer the case. A backdated 2023/24 pay award for junior doctors will be paid this month, with its terms in line with the recommendations of the national pay review body, the DDRB.
“This pay award involves an average pay increase of 9.07 per cent for junior doctors in Northern Ireland, with those in their first year receiving a 10.68 per cent uplift,” said the Department.