The government also proposes to scrap guaranteed pay increases, linked to time in the job, and replace them with a system where junior doctors progress through different stages in training.
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Around 100 picket lines have been put in place for the strike.
The words on the banners read: “The NHS needs saving and they’re not listening but we’ve got something to say”.
“It just feels like they are making these changes in an unsafe and unfair way and we feel that the trust is being eroded”.
“The NHS should be yours, let’s keep it yours”.
“We have agreed with the (BMA’s) local negotiating committee chair to stand down the request to some trainee doctors at Sandwell Hospital to come in and provide additional assistance”.
The Government has argued that current terms are outdated and need to be changed to improve care standards at weekends.
In a video posted to the BMA’s Twitter site, he said doctors have “even been unable to get leave for their own weddings despite months – and even up to a year – of notification in advance”, adding that the situation “cannot continue”.
Emma Gordon, 40, a British Medical Association member, helped organise Bury St Edmunds’ hospital strike.
Despite talks to prevent the strike, around 4,000 operations and procedures have been cancelled, with thousands more routine appointments also postponed.
She said they had moved to reassure them that there were other junior doctors still on duty in the hospital dealing with emergencies and other urgent cases.
The British Medical Association (BMA), the trade union and professional association for doctors and medical students in Britain, had tried to negotiate a new contract for junior doctors with the government but the talks failed to reach an agreement.
CONSERVATIVE politicians have united to say why strike action is wrong.
A spokesman for the trust said: “Consultants will cover the usual duties of our junior doctors on our hospital wards to ensure the safety of inpatients”.
Whilst we have planned to maintain as many services as possible, we have needed to postpone some appointments and procedures and those patients have been contacted.
This will be followed by two further spells of strike action, with a 48-hour stoppage and the provision of emergency care only from 8am on Tuesday, January 26th.
On Wednesday, February 10, there will be a full walk-out from 8am to 5pm.
Under the most recent proposals, doctors will receive an 11% rise in basic pay but extra pay for “unsocial” hours will be cut.
However the number of hours during the week which are classed as “unsociable” and therefore a better paid – are being cut.
Currently, 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and the whole of Saturday and Sunday attract a premium rate of pay.
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“My girlfriend is a midwife and works a lot of nights so for me it would mean more hours where I need childcare and less money to pay for it”.
