The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has welcomed the agreement by the Government and the British Medical Association (BMA) to return to talks over the new junior doctors' contracts. The Academy had appealed for both sides to end the dispute, with strikes having already caused thousands of cancelled operations. The doctors have been striking over plans to impose new working conditions, and talks over the controversial new contracts broke down in February. The Government has said it is willing to pause the introduction of the contracts in England for five days from Monday to allow for talks. But it said the doctors' union must focus discussions on outstanding contractual issues such as unsocial hours and Saturday pay. The BMA has agreed to postpone any new threats of strikes - also for five days.