SCOTLAND’S care minister Maree Todd said today that she remains “hopeful” that a junior doctors’ strike will be called off.

Junior doctors in Scotland are due to begin a three-day strike next week from July 12 after 71 per cent of junior doctors rejected the Scottish government’s subinflation offer of 14.5 per cent over 2 years.

British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors’ committee argue that the SNP-Green Scottish government’s pay offer fails to tackle what they have called “15 years of pay erosion” and a real-terms 23.5 per cent cut in pay since 2008.

Ms Todd told a BBC Radio Scotland programme celebrating 75 years of the NHS: “I know talks between the junior doctors, the cabinet secretary Michael Matheson and government officials went on late into the night last night.

“I am not aware they resolved anything, but they are working really hard to avert strike action, because everybody knows the impact that would have.

“I am still hopeful we might be able to avoid strike action entirely.”