It comes after more than 20,000 junior doctors are estimated to have walked out on Tuesday as the dispute with the Government over a new contract continues.
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“Patients with minor injuries or less serious conditions should access alternative health services where they will often receive care in a more effective and timely manner”.
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust warned patients that patients may face delays during the two days of strike action.
Junior doctors took to the picket lines at hospitals throughout England from 8am until 5pm.
The strike, from 0700 GMT to 1600 GMT, is the fourth industrial action by doctors since the start of the year but the first to be extended to hospital emergency units.
The strike is in opposition to the contracts proposed by health secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Changes to the contract makes it cheaper to rota doctors on at weekends – something ministers say is needed to improve care on a Saturday and Sunday.
There doesn’t seem to be any clear end point for the war between junior doctors and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt in their row over new contracts.
During the walkouts, junior doctors will refuse to work in emergency care, including A and E, maternity services, emergency surgery and intensive care.
“As this was the first all-out strike, our emergency departments provided emergency care only during the strike, and we redirected people who did not require critical care to other services”.
Junior medic Jennifer Thornley said she is already applying for new jobs because of the fear of what the new contracts could bring.
“An agreed protocol is in place between the BMA and NHS England should any trust need to recall doctors during the days of action, where there has been an unpredictable major incident”.
Clinics and operations were expected to be cancelled at Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Southampton General Hospital, but union reps from the British Medical Association (BMA) said replacement emergency cover was safe.
Robert Courteney-Harris, chief executive of The University Hospital of North Midlands Trust, said: “Anyone who is scheduled to have an operation or an outpatient appointment should still attend unless they are contacted in advance”.
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Johann Malawana, the chairman for the BMA’s committee for junior doctors, said that Tuesday was “an incredibly sad day for doctors, and the rest of society”.
