A further 351 outpatient appointments were also cancelled as the 24-hour action began at 8am today when only emergency cover was being provided.
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Junior doctors across England are due to go on strike from 8am as part of a continuing dispute between the Government and the British Medical Association (BMA).
But imposing the contract would not be a popular move.
“The government offer is unfair and the strikes are the only way left for the junior doctors to express their protest”, a London-based editor and commentator, Javier Farje told Press TV.
Government officials criticised the walk out and said that changes to contracts were aimed at improving the public access to NHS services at weekends.
Peter Capaldi, who plays Doctor Who, has come out in support of the strike.
And Dr Nigel Sturrock, medical director for the trust, thanked patients for their continued support and understanding during the strikes.
This time, we asked them to give us their messages (without swearing) to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The wave of strike action is the first for forty years, as more is demanded of overstretched doctors.
BMA junior doctor leader Johann Malawana said the government should not force a contract on doctors and should “put [the] NHS before politics, patients before machismo”.
The major sticking point in the dispute is over weekend pay and whether Saturday should be largely classed as a normal working day.
Critics have claimed the plans – which would include Saturday being treated as a normal working day – are unfair and could lead to “unsafe” working conditions.
Rachel Clarke, who works at the county’s hospitals, said if the Department of Health (DoH) hires more doctors then the health service could be manned seven days a week.
The following services are not affected by the strike:ear, nose and throat (ENT), dermatology, ophthalmology, maxillo-facial care, children’s services, children’s services and maternity care.
In November, the government said that junior medics would receive time-and-a-half for working Monday to Sunday between 10pm and 7am, and time-and-a-third for any hours worked between 7pm and 10pm on Saturdays.
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The new contract proposes an 11 per cent rise in basic pay for junior doctors.
