Junior doctors due to return to picket lines for two-day strike in contracts row

Thousands of patients face disruption as junior doctors in England once again go on strike in their ongoing dispute with the government over new contracts.

More than 5,100 procedures and operations have been postponed as a result of the walkout, which begins at 8am today and will last for 48 hours.

So far, in total almost 25,000 operations have been cancelled as a result of industrial action.

Junior doctors will still provide emergency care cover.

Dr Anne Rainsberry, national incident director for NHS England, said it was "deeply regrettable" that patients faced disruption.

The strike is the fourth round of industrial action taken by the British Medical Association (BMA) in the contracts row.

The government says the new contracts will create a truly seven-day health service and points out that the basic rate of pay will increase.

Junior doctors - who already work weekends, providing the bulk of medical staff on Saturdays and Sundays - object to curbs on other parts of the pay package, including Saturday pay.

A Department of Health spokeswoman called the strike "irresponsible and disproportionate" and said junior doctors needed to be willing to negotiate on Saturday pay.

Dr Johann Malawana, chairman of the BMA's junior doctor committee, said: "We deeply regret any disruption this action will cause to patients, but it is because we believe this contract would be bad for the delivery of patient care in the long term that we are taking this action.

"By imposing a contract that junior doctors have no confidence in and refusing to re-enter talks with the BMA, the government has left us with no choice."

Further strikes are planned for April 26 and April 27 and will see the full withdrawal of labour by junior doctors - everyone up to consultant level - between the hours of 8am and 5pm on both days.