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Mr Murray said: "If the resident doctors ignore what the Prime Minister has said and they go ahead with the strike it will hurt them, it will hurt the NHS and it will hurt patients. They have a decent offer on the table, they have a very good offer on the table, which has been negotiated over many months with the Health Secretary."

He insisted it was "reckless" for the doctors' union to reject the deal, or refuse to put it to members. Mr Murray said: "They will not get the better deal that is on the table. They will get a less good deal by not accepting the deal which is on the table."

The Minister continued: "These were extra training places which we wanted to introduce as part of the deal. If the resident doctors go on strike then our resources in April have to be focused on keeping the NHS running. I would much rather we were spending that resource on getting more training places, and I would hope the resident doctors would think that would be a better way to spend that money as well."

But the chairman of the BMA resident doctors' committee said the Government had "shifted the goal posts" of its pay offer at the "very last minute".

Dr Jack Fletcher told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "In the very last minute, the Government has shifted the goal posts of the pay offer that they were discussing, that we were discussing collectively a few months ago. I am very, very happy and willing to sit down and talk constructively once again. We've made clear to the Government what it would take to essentially get back to where we were."

Dr Fletcher added: "I think making threats about withholding jobs from doctors and essentially stopping doctors from caring for patients, I don't think is a realistic way or a credible way of ending this dispute.

"It will end in a negotiating room - I'm very happy to sit down with the Government at any point to try and negotiate a settlement, but I don't think that's done by writing in newspapers and issuing threats unilaterally."

Asked if he was initially in favour of putting the pay offer to members, Dr Fletcher said: "Two weeks ago, the Government took that investment, reduced it, and then stretched it over three years. That is a very, very, very different outcome to the one that we were discussing just two weeks ago."

He added: "I've been really clear to the Health Secretary in person last week that this does not represent a credible offer, and it does not go far enough."

The union said that it was seeking to talk with the Government on Tuesday with "every intention of achieving a meaningful outcome that could see the strikes called off".

Sir Keir Starmer gave the resident doctors committee of the BMA a 48-hour deadline to reconsider the offer, which would have seen medics given a pay rise of 35% over three years.

Resident doctors in England are planning to strike for six days from April 7 in the ongoing row over jobs and pay.

NHS leaders have said the strike action, which coincides with the Easter holiday, will be "challenging".

Writing in The Times, the Prime Minister said patients would be left "paying the price".

He said the offer was made after "months of collaboration with the BMA".

Sir Keir wrote: "That is why walking away from this deal is the wrong decision. It is reckless. And doing so without even giving resident doctors the chance to vote on it makes it worse.

"Because the truth is this: no one benefits from rejecting this deal."

He said resident doctors, the NHS and patients will be "worse off", highlighting that each strike costs the health service £250 million.

"Progress slows. Waiting times fall more slowly. Pressure on staff increases," he added.

"That is what makes this so frustrating - and so completely avoidable.

"So I say this to the BMA's resident doctors' committee: reconsider.

"Give members a say and put this deal to a vote.

"Failing to do so will mean resident doctors are left with less, the NHS is weakened, and patients pay the price.

"To resident doctors, I say this: make your voice heard. This deal improves your pay, your progression and your future. Do not let others decide for you.

"There are still 48 hours left to choose a better path. For patients, the NHS, and our doctors - I urge you to take it."