The first industrial action by doctors for almost 40 years is under way, as medics boycott non-urgent care in a dispute over pensions.

John Ralfe, an independent pensions consultant, says doctors are not getting a raw deal.

He told the Today programme that hospital consultants will be worse off under the new pension scheme, but only because the "current pension is so very generous".

Dr Hamish Meldrum, who chairs the BMA, defends the industrial action of his members.

"We're not saying doctors shouldn't take a bit of a cut" in pensions, he said, but there is "inherent unfairness" in the public sector scheme.

"Nobody is happy about taking any action... and I really hope we can find a resolution," he told John Humphrys.

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