Junior doctors protested on the picket lines of the Whittington and Royal Free hospitals today after staging a second walk-out.

The industrial action was called following further disputes between the government and British Medical Association over junior contracts.

Because of the strikes, which began at 8am and will last for 24 hours, The Whittington Hospital cancelled 44 operations and 30 clinics and The Royal Free Hospital cancelled 17 operations and 41 clinics.

Both hospitals ran their urgent and emergency care services as normal.

Camden Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) has told the Ham&High that they are fully backing the junior doctors.

A spokesman said: “We congratulate the junior doctors on their stand in favour of patient safety and against this irresponsible government, and will continue to support them for as long as it takes.

It’s now clear that Jeremy Hunt has personally intervened into the junior doctors dispute, to veto a possible agreement. He has renewed threats to impose a contract without agreement, making any negotiations irrelevant.

“This makes it clear that the government wants a confrontation, and wants nothing less than the defeat of the BMA, as a prelude to similar moves to worsen to pay and conditions of a million other NHS staff.”

The walk-out follows a strike last month, which saw the Whittington Hospital cancel 21 operations and ten clinics and the Royal Free Hospital cancel 31 operations and 14 clinics. Both hospitals have almost 250 junior doctors working in employment.

The strikes were initially called off by the British Medical Association but after further negotiations failed, they confirmed industrial action because “the government puts politics before patients.”