There had been plans for a full strike on 10 February, including without emergency care, but that cover was later left in place.
Advertisement
On Saturday, a rainbow coalition of MPs including Labour shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander urged Mr Hunt to test the contested new work contract in a small number of trusts rather than impose it across England without the support of the BMA.
Mr Hunt says he wants junior doctors’ working patterns to become more flexible in order to deliver the “seven-day NHS” the Conservatives promised in the general election.
The BMA believes the new contract will lead to unsafe working hours and pay cuts for junior doctors.
“We know that anyone coming in for non-urgent surgery will be disappointed to have had their operation postponed, but we have to make sure that urgent care is protected”.
During the interview, Dr White also made it clear to patients watching that if they are unwell they should go to hospital as consultants would be covering emergency care.
It comes after junior doctors in the county have taken part in industrial action in four separate strikes already this year.
Talks between the government and British Medical Association (BMA) broke down in January, prompting the government to announce in February that it would be imposing its contract in the summer.
Contingency plans have been drawn up to ensure the most poorly patients continue to be cared for safely at Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
There is no need for patients to contact the Trust as we will contact you directly. “Faced with this reality, what else can junior doctors do?” “We offered a simple choice – lift imposition and the strikes would be called off, but unfortunately the health secretary simply refuses to do that”.
“Although strike action will cause disruption, and cause some concern for a short time, it is important to remember who has the best interest of patients at heart, and it certainly isn’t a Government that is ideologically driven to privatise our public services”.
He said: “This proposed withdrawal of potentially life-saving care will worry people all over our country, and unacceptably brings into question the safety of patients”.
Advertisement
At Ipswich Hospital, 47 operations have been cancelled and a further 330 outpatient appointments have been rescheduled durig the strikes tomorrow and Wednesday.
