Cambridge hospital plan to call striking doctor back to work rejected

Junior doctors have been staging a four-day walkout since Friday

The British Medical Association (BMA) refused a request by the NHS to allow one of its striking junior doctors to return to the hospital wards.

The BMA initially accepted the request to allow one of its members to work a night shift at the obstetrics and gynaecology unit at The Rosie Hospital in Cambridge.

The union announced at 19:20 BST on Saturday it had reversed the decision.

A hospital spokesman said the request was made because of low staffing.

"The consultant team responded to the needs of the unit and we are very grateful to them for that in keeping our patients safe," said a spokesman for the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The Rosie is the Cambridge trust's maternity hospital

A BMA spokesman said it had revoked its derogation approval because of "new information which was not included on the original request form".

"After careful deliberations on this request, a decision was taken last night to not grant this request," the union said.

Junior doctors have been staging a four-day walkout since Friday - their fifth so far - in an ongoing dispute over pay.