The British Medical Association (BMA) and health secretary Wes Streeting have agreed to resume talks following the latest strike by resident doctors.

The latest five-day walkout ended on Wednesday. This was the first strike under the Labour government.

Following a letter sent from the BMA on 29 July, Wes Streeting agreed to resume talks: "Thank you for your letter of 29 July inviting me to get back to the negotiation table, which is ironic because I never left. I am ready to continue the conversation from where you left it."

Streeting said the decision to take strike action was "deeply disappointing and entirely unnecessary given the seemingly promising discussions we had to explore areas where we could make substantive improvements to doctors’ working lives".

After the government were elected, a deal was agreed which put a pause to industrial action. This included a 22 per cent increase in pay over a two-year period. They have been given another 5.4 per cent average rise this year.

Strike action was restarted as the BMA said this rise was not enough since pay was still a fifth lower than it was in 2008.

The two parties have now agreed to resume talks.

Streeting said: "I know your members want to be part of an improving NHS. With waiting lists the lowest they have been in 2 years, satisfaction with GPs on the up, 4.6 million appointments delivered in our first year, and our 10 Year Health Plan getting underway, we are turning the NHS around."