Junior doctors on strike outside Whittington Hospital

Junior doctors took to the picket line outside the Whittington Hospital today as they walked out for the first time in 40 years.

Today marks the first of three scheduled strike dates announced by the British Medical Association (BMA) in response to government plans to change junior doctor contracts.

During the strikes, which began at 8am, the Whittington in Archway will continue to run emergency care services and both hospitals have stated that they will be prioritising patient safety.

Chairman of the Whittington Trust, Simon Pleydell, said: “It is extremely regrettable that we have got here, but it is the legitimate right of staff to take industrial action and, as an organisation, we support that.”

The strikes were announced last week by the BMA after talks with the Department of Health broke down and today’s walk out will be followed by further action on January 26 and February 10.

The hospital has announced that they will be contacting patients to rearrange any cancelled appointments.