Most people continue to back the junior doctors' strikes, but support has fallen dramatically since earlier in the year, a Sky Data Snap Poll reveals.

When asked to choose whether they support or oppose the strikes due to take place from 12 to 16 September, 57% of Britons said they support junior doctors, while 43% oppose them.

This is down from 74% support for the strikes in February, when 26% opposed the strikes.

Voters aged 55 or over are opposed to the strikes by 53% to 47%, though there is stronger support for the junior doctors' position among younger voters.

Image: Junior doctors are to stage 20 strike days

There is also opposition to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who has said he will impose a new contract on junior doctors after they rejected a revised contract recommended by the British Medical Association.


Some 51% said Theresa May was wrong to reappoint Mr Hunt as Health Secretary when she became Prime Minister.

Two in ten (20%) support his reappointment, while 16% said they neither support nor oppose the move and 14% answered don't know.

Image: A Sky Data poll found that most people disagreed with Theresa May's decision to retain Jeremy Hunt as Health Secretary

It comes after Britain's most senior doctors dramatically condemned plans by their junior colleagues.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges - led by 22 of the country's most senior doctors - said it was "disappointed".

There are fears the planned action could result in up to 6,000 operations being cancelled on each day of the walkout.

Senior Doctors Speak Out Against Strike

A spokesman for the Academy said: "Five days of strike action, particularly at such short notice, will cause real problems for patients, the service and the profession."

The new strikes are planned between the hours of 8am and 5pm on 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11 October; from 14-18 November and from 5-9 December.

The British Medical Association, representing junior doctors, said that the decision was made at a special meeting on Thursday.

Impact of Doctors' Strike On Services

Earlier, Prime Minister Theresa May accused the BMA of "playing politics".

The Prime Minister said the deal offered to junior doctors was "safe for patients", and added that the NHS had "record levels of funding".

Sky Data interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,055 Sky customers by SMS on 2 September 2016. Data are weighted to the profile of the population.

For full Sky Data tables, please click here.