Junior doctors on strike in Sussex: Photo gallery

Thousands of patients will face postponements to routine care, according to NHS England, as junior doctors walk-out across the South East this week. The NHS will ‘prioritise resources to protect emergency and critical care’.

Industrial action by junior doctors part of the BMA and the HCSA began yesterday (Monday, March 13) at all trusts in England for 72 hours.

The three-day walk-out has been described as the 'biggest strike disruption to date' and will see ‘major disruption of services’.

Junior doctors overwhelmingly voted in favour of a 72-hour strike in a dispute over pay and conditions - arguing that the government only has itself to blame.

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) - the doctors’ union - have formed picket lines outside hospitals across England in the longest-ever period of industrial action by junior doctors. Care is being severely disrupted, with NHS trusts already cancelling thousands of appointments and operations.

“During this time, the NHS will prioritise resources to protect emergency and critical care, maternity care and where possible prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery,” an NHS England spokesperson said.

Acosia Nyanin, South East Regional Chief Nurse, said: “The NHS has been working incredibly hard to mitigate the impact of this strike.

"While we are doing what we can to avoid having to reschedule appointments, there’s no doubt that disruption will be much more severe than before and patients who have been waiting for some time will face postponements across many treatment areas." Click here to read more.