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Thousands of junior doctors walk out for second day over contract row

Thousands of junior doctors across England are preparing for a second day of strike action over a row with the Government about a new contract.

Junior doctors will provide emergency care only from 8am today as part of a 48-hour strike which began on Wednesday. Two further 48-hour strikes are planned for April 8 and April 26.

The strikes have led to the cancellation of thousands of operations and procedures.

NHS England said urgent and emergency care services will be available as normal but hospitals are expected to be under extra pressure.

It comes after Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he will impose the contract on junior doctors - everyone up to consultant level - after talks with the British Medical Association failed to reach a resolution.

The new contracts are due to be imposed in August.

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Patients Association: Survival of the NHS in danger

The Patients Association has said "the survival of the NHS itself is in danger" because of the ongoing dispute between the government and junior doctors over contracts.

The Patients Association believes 'the survival of the NHS itself is in danger' Credit: Andrew Matthews / PA Wire/PA Images

The Patients Association has watched the continuing dispute between the Government and the junior doctors with growing concern. So far each occurrence of strike action has led to around 3,000 cancelled operations for patients per day.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the arguments put forward by either side, the failure to resolve the differences by agreement is bad for doctors, bad for the taxpayer, but above all bad for patients and the NHS.

Indeed, we believe that the survival of the NHS itself is in danger. Repeated industrial action can only increase the risks to patients. Both will continue the destruction of trust between staff and their employers, and erode the public’s confidence in the service.

– Statement from the Patients Association
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Thousands of junior doctors walk out for second day over contract row

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