Senior doctors in England have overwhelmingly backed a two-day strike next month.

In a consultant ballot, 86% of BMA members backed the 48-hour strike action on 20 July which will follow a walk-out by junior doctors from 13-18 July.

A BMA spokesperson said: “This result demonstrates the strength of feeling among consultants: there is absolutely no justification for consultants today being valued a third less than they were 15 years ago. It also sends a clear sign to government that our pay must be fixed now and for the future.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We hugely value the work of NHS consultants and it is disappointing the BMA consultants have voted to take strike action. Consultants received a 4.5% pay uplift last financial year, increasing average earnings to around £128,000, and they will benefit from generous changes to pension taxation announced at budget.

“Strikes are hugely disruptive for patients and put pressure on other NHS staff. We’ve been engaging with the BMA Consultants Committee on their concerns already and stand ready to open talks again – we urge them to come to the negotiating table rather than proceeding with their proposed strike dates. We urge the BMA to carefully consider the likely impact of any action on patients.”

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “Trust leaders, staff and patients are dreading industrial action by consultants next month hard on the heels of a five-day strike by junior doctors.

“A double whammy of consultants resorting to two days of ‘Christmas Day cover’ – meaning they will provide emergency care but routine work will be paused – and a full walkout by junior doctors days earlier in the longest single strike ever seen in the NHS means disruption for many thousands of patients and yet more pressure on overstretched services. This is a huge risk for the NHS to manage.

“July will be the eighth consecutive month of industrial action across the NHS. More than 651,000 routine operations and appointments have had to be postponed already since December due to industrial action across the NHS with knock-on delays for many thousands more.

“We understand how strongly doctors feel – the high turnout in the consultants’ vote shows just how strongly – and why they are striking. Trust leaders will continue to do everything they can to limit disruption and keep patients safe but that’s getting harder and more expensive with every strike.

“These strikes don’t have to go ahead. There’s still time for the government and the doctors’ unions to settle their differences and find a way through.

“The urgency can’t be overstated. Trust leaders want the government and unions to sit down, facilitated by a third party if necessary, to find a way to end strikes.”