Junior doctors have begun a second all-out strike in protest against Government imposition of a new contract. 

Medics walked out at 8am this morning for a second consecutive day of industrial action, which for the first time in NHS history includes the withdrawal of emergency and maternity care.

Your Local Guardian:

Strike: Doctors Claire Bryant and Dominic Carr outside St Helier Hospital yesterday.

Consultants and senior medical staff will still be on hand to treat patients, although thousands of scheduled appointments and surgeries were cancelled ahead of the strike.

Figures released by NHS England showed that 78 per cent of junior doctors took part in yesterday's strike action, with a walk-out rate of up to 90 per cent in some hospitals. 

Your Local Guardian:

Junior doctors on strike yesterday outside St Helier Hospital

This week's strikes are the third and fourth since Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced he would impose a new contract by August and claimed the union had refused “point blank to discuss reforms”.

FROM YESTERDAY: On the picket line: Junior doctors at Croydon University Hospital take part in escalated strike action

On the picket line outside Croydon University Hospital yesterday, Chris Jones, a senior A&E registrar, was taking part in his first strike.

He said: “Our consultants are all covering us, I don’t think I would be here if all of our consultants hadn’t stepped forward to support us.

“The fact [Jeremy Hunt] is imposing it based on what he calls evidence just to prove that the disruption is purely down to junior doctors is deceitful and that is what angers people.

“The main concern is patient safety, I already work plenty of weekends as well as night shifts. In A&E we work some of the longest and most unsociable hours and the contract doesn’t protect us against that.

“Overworked and tired doctors can make mistakes and that is one of the biggest concerns."

Under the contracts junior doctors will get an increase in their basic pay, but will have to work more weekends. Guaranteed pay rises linked to time in the job will be axed and bonus pay for working unsociable hours will be curbed.

Last week Bruce Keogh, the medical director of NHS England, claimed the withdrawal of emergency care by junior doctors would “irreparably damage” trust in the profession.

Before yesterday's strike, the BMA wrote to Mr Hunt saying the union will call off the walk-out if the Government lifted the “imposition” of the new contracts.

The strike is scheduled to end at 5pm today.

Anyone feeling unwell during the strike is asked to call the NHS on 111 or speak to your GP or pharmacist.

You can also check your symptoms at nhs.uk/strike.

Are you striking today? Call the newsdesk on 020 8722 6388 or email daniel.omahony@newsquest.co.uk