[MTVN]

LESS than five per cent of junior doctors backed the five-day walkouts ordered by militant bosses, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.

Strike leaders now fear thousands of the medics will cross picket lines as they do not support the action.

The walkout, due to start next week, will cause 500,000 operations to be cancelled and four million appointments lost, hospitals association NHS Providers has said.

And sources have described the strikes as a step too far that will put patients’ lives at risk.

Some 37,770 of England’s 55,000 junior doctors are members of the British Medical Association, giving them a vote on industrial action.

But just 20 per cent (7,540) returned an August ballot on the fresh strikes set to begin on September 12.

And only 31.5 per cent (2,375) of those who did vote backed the full five-day walkouts.

That means the monthly strikes that will see medics abandon hospital departments including A&E, maternity and intensive care were supported by just 4.3 per cent of junior doctors.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/uncategoriz...strike-action/