(Bloomberg) — Senior doctors in England narrowly rejected a pay offer from Rishi Sunak’s government, raising the prospect of further strikes.

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The British Medical Association said its members had voted 51.1% against a deal worth an extra 4.95% in pay this year, on top of a 6% uplift already announced.

Read more: UK Doctors Begin 3-Day Walkout in Bid to Pressure Sunak on Pay

“Consultants do not feel the current offer goes far enough to end the current dispute and offer a long-term solution to the recruitment and retention crisis for senior doctors,” said Vishal Sharma, chair of the BMA consultants committee. “However, with the result so close, the consultants committee is giving the government a chance to improve the offer.”

The result is another headache for Sunak, who wants to bring an end to a year of disputes with National Health Service workers over pay and conditions ahead of a general election expected in the second half of 2024. Strikes are hampering progress on the prime minister’s key pledge to get NHS waiting lists down.

Consultants, who have so far staged four rounds of strikes, currently have a mandate to take industrial action until June 18.

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