The action, which follows three months of failed talks, will involve a full walkout beginning at 7am on 27 June and ending 7am on 2 July. 

BMA junior doctors committee co-chairs Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said:  ‘We made clear to the Government that we would strike unless discussions ended in a credible pay offer. For more than 18 months we have been asking Rishi Sunak to put forward proposals to restore the pay junior doctors have lost over the past 15 years – equal to more than a quarter in real terms.  

‘When we entered mediation with Government this month we did so under the impression that we had a functioning government that would soon be making an offer. Clearly no offer is now forthcoming. Junior doctors are fed up and out of patience. 

‘Even at this late stage Mr Sunak has the opportunity to show that he cares about the NHS and its workers. It is finally time for him to make a concrete commitment to restore doctors' pay. If during this campaign he makes such a public commitment that is acceptable to the BMA's junior doctors committee, then no strikes need go ahead.'

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers, said the announcement marked a ‘worrying escalation' in the dispute.

‘Nearly 1.5m appointments have been delayed since industrial action began, with strikes having now cost the NHS an estimated £3bn,' Cordery said.

‘We cannot go on like this. Politicians and unions must urgently find a way to resolve all disputes for the sake of patients, staff and the NHS.'

A DHSC spokesperson said: ‘Patient safety will be the priority during industrial action and the NHS will prepare for these strikes in the usual way.

‘It will work closely with unions to discuss any patient safety concerns and ensure safe staffing for emergency care continues to be available.'