Andrew Lansley: doctors' industrial action will harm patients He said the affect on patients will last for 'many days and weeks' afterwards and will 'echo through the NHS long after the strike you are proposing'. He reiterated that the pensions deal was fair and that doctors would still receive an income in retirement worth twice as much as the annual average wage and a junior doctor joining in three years time can expect to receive £68,000 a year if they retire at 68. Doctors are angry that the pensions deal, only agreed four years ago, has been ripped up and they are being forced to pay more into the scheme to receive the same pension. Mr Lansley said that BMA members should co-operate fully with NHS managers planning how to cope with the proposed action and its 'aftermath'. He said the BMA was wrong to say the NHS pension was in 'surplus' and it was simply that there are now more people in the NHS who were contributing to the scheme. He also questioned the BMA's commitment to negotiations on pensions by saying the organisation had never sent their chairman of the pensions committee to a meeting with the Department of Health. Dr Meldrum said he hoped the government would still agree to meaningful negotiations. He said: "We have always made it clear that we are taking industrial action reluctantly and would far prefer not to take it at all. We are not asking for special or preferential treatment just fair treatment. The Secretary of State has not addressed the feeling of betrayal felt by doctors. NHS staff agreed major changes to their pension scheme through negotiation in 2008 to make it sustainable for the future. We are working closely with NHS managers to plan the day of action and to ensure any postponed appointments or operations are rearranged so that patients are given as much notice as possible. Patient safety will be our absolute priority. Doctors will be in their usual places of work and providing urgent and emergency care to all those who need it. We will be considering the contents of the letter and will reply to the Secretary of State shortly.