Junior doctors are preparing to go on strike for 48 hours after the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, pressed ahead with new contracts they have not agreed to. 

Surrey Comet:

Junior doctors at St George's, Tooting, with the National Health Singers. Photo by Lois Davis.

The British Medical Association (BMA) members will provide emergency care only from 8am today, Wednesday, March 9 until 8am on Friday, March 11.

Dr Johann Malawana, chairman of the BMA junior doctors committee said: "Throughout this process, we negotiated constructively and made significant concessions, for example, agreeing to change the pay structure, end banding and give up the right to automatic pay progression, based on time in post and pay protection on changing speciality.

"It is disappointing that we are now portrayed as the barriers to change that employers want.

"The impact of the imposition announcement is that junior doctors are scared, confused and don’t know what the future holds for them."

Yesterday: Croydon Health Services NHS Trust postpone hundreds of appointments ahead of junior doctor strikes

Last month: Jeremy Hunt accused of "bullying approach" in decision to force junior doctor contracts​

The BMA has started legal proceedings for a judicial review of the contract imposition, but the Department of Health said their case was bound to fail.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "Further strike action is completely unnecessary and will mean tens of thousands more patients face cancelled operations – over a contract that was 90 per cent agreed with the BMA and which senior NHS leaders including Simon Stevens have endorsed as fair and safe.

"The new contract will mean an average 13.5 per cent basic pay rise, and will bring down the maximum number of hours doctors can work.

"We urge junior doctors to look at the detail of the contract and the clear benefits it brings."

The National Health Singers will be joining the picket line at St George's and then St Helier this morning.

Surrey Comet:

Junior doctors outside Tooting Broadway station, photo by Lois Davis

Hospitals across south west London and north Surrey have advised patients that those with a planned operation or procedure on any industrial action day will be contacted if it needs to be rearranged.

A statement on the St George's Hospital website said: "If there are changes to an appointment that you have arranged at our hospitals on a day of action, we will contact you. 

"If you do not hear from us, please assume your appointment remains unchanged."

A statement from Kingston Hospital last week said: "Those patients affected have already been contacted and we will do all we can to rearrange appointments as soon as possible and we would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

A statement released by Croydon University Hospital said: "The Trust is contacting more than 80 patients with operations that had been planned over the two days, and is moving more than 320 outpatient appointments. 

"All will be rescheduled for as soon as possible.

"Patients with appointments scheduled during the industrial action, who have not been contacted directly by the Trust should attend as planned."

A statement released by the Epsom and St Helier Hospital trust said: "If we need to rearrange your appointment during the industrial action, we will contact you. If you have not heard from us and have an appointment scheduled, please come to hospital as planned.

"As always, we are asking people to only come to our A and E departments in an emergency."

Have you been affected by the junior doctor strike? Leave us a comment below.