Consultants will meet with the Government “in a hope to find a resolution” to the row leading to strikes in England, officials have said.
Top hospital doctors have said they will not call any more strikes until November to allow time for talks.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said Health Secretary Steve Barclay has responded to the British Medical Association (BMA) consultants’ committee and agreed to a meeting.
A spokesperson said “headline pay will not be on the table” but did not rule out other incentives.
“We have agreed to meet the BMA consultants’ committee following their commitment to pause strike action, in the hope we will find a resolution and end the dispute,” they said.
“We have been clear headline pay will not be on the table. Doctors have already received a fair and reasonable pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review body, which we’ve accepted in full.
“This means doctors who started their hospital training this year have received a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8% and consultants 6%, alongside generous reforms to their pensions – the BMA’s number one ask.”
It comes after a wave of strikes caused severe disruption across the NHS.
