Camden and Islington junior doctors continued to protest outside north London hospitals during a 48-hour walk-out as NHS trusts prepare for the new contract changes.
The doctors held signs outside the Royal Free and Whittington hospitals reading “save our NHS” and “my own breasts and ovaries don’t make me worth less” during the strike which began at 8am today.
The junior doctors have expressed anger and “disappointment” following the decision to impose the unpopular contracts. In particular, it is seen to be highly discriminatory towards female doctors as the Equality Impact Assessment suggested the additional evening and weekend work could severely impact single parents - the majority of whom are women.
The Royal Free Hospital released a statement saying: “Patients whose treatment is affected will be contacted by telephone and their appointments changed if necessary. We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.”
A Whittington Hospital spokeswoman said: “We encourage anyone with an appointment or planned operation due to take place during the potential strike action who is unsure about whether they should still attend, to contact the service for further information.”
The next strike, due to take place between 8am and 5pm on April 26 and 27, will be the first time ever that the junior doctors will withdraw all care, including emergency on-call care.
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