ROUTINE operations and appointments could be cancelled again across south Devon today as junior doctors have announced 24-hour industrial action in their ongoing dispute with the government.

Unless progress is made in key talks over new contracts junior doctors will only provide emergency care today, followed by a second, 48-hour period of emergency care only beginning on January 26, and a third day of action on February 10.

The third day will be a full withdrawal of their labour between 8am and 5pm.

In December, ahead of a planned walk-out in south Devon, 27 routine and non-urgent operations, and 67 clinic appointments, were cancelled and rebooked. The strike was called off at the last minute when talks between the British Medical Association and the government went to Acas.

There are 230 junior doctors employed by the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, including those working part-time, and ‘trust grade’ doctors, who are junior but not in a training post.

The trust area covers Torbay Hospital and the community hospitals of Ashburton and Buckfastleigh, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot and Teignmouth.

A spokesman for the trust said it was too early to predict how many patients would be affected by Tuesday’s proposed action.

He added: ‘The trust has robust procedures and contingency plans in place to ensure we are fully prepared for any event that may cause disruption to our services and to minimise the inconvenience to patients.’

The row between junior doctors and the government is over a new contract. Ministers have offered doctors an 11 per cent pay rise, offset by other changes, including unsociable hours payments.

The government has said the new contracts are needed to create more seven-day services in the NHS, but the British Medical Association, which represents the doctors, has warned it could lead to doctors being over-worked because safeguards to keep a lid on excessive hours will be weakened.

In November, in a ballot of junior doctors, 98 per cent voted for industrial action in response to the government’s attempt to introduce what the BMA termed ‘an unsafe and unfair contract’.

Dr Mark Porter, BMA council chairman, said: ‘Throughout this process the BMA has been clear that it wants to reach agreement on a contract that is good for patients, junior doctors and the NHS. This is why, despite overwhelming support for industrial action, the BMA instead sought conciliation talks with the government.

‘After weeks of further negotiations, it is clear that the government is still not taking junior doctors’ concerns seriously. Furthermore, the government has repeatedly dragged its feet throughout this process, initially rejecting our offer of talks and failing to make significant movement during negotiations.

‘We sincerely regret the disruption that industrial action will cause, but junior doctors have been left with no option. It is because the government’s proposals would be bad for patient care as well as junior doctors in the long-term that we are taking this stand.’