HOSPITAL chiefs in Hampshire are today conducting emergency meetings to ensure patients can receive sufficient care ahead of a wave of proposed strikes by junior doctors.

• Why are junior doctors going on strike? >>

Thousands of junior doctors have overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action in the climax of a bitter row with the Government row centring on pay and conditions.

Three sets of separate walk-outs – set to be launched from December 1 with two further dates later in the month – are feared to cause mass disruption at a time of year when the NHS braces itself for a surge in patients in a looming winter crisis.

Now bosses at Southampton General Hospital have launched a series of crunch meetings with senior staff in key departments and union leaders.

It comes as junior doctors say they have no option but to take action protect long term patient safety they say is at risk by new working proposals they say will “overwork” doctors leaving them prone to tiredness and mistakes.

A hospital spokesman pledged that the trust will do all it can to ensure patients visiting the hospital can be cared for as best possible.

He said: “Following this morning’s announcement, human resources and senior clinical staff across the organisation will be holding a series of meetings to develop plans that will ensure our services run safely and as effectively as possible during the periods of strike action.

• Why are junior doctors going on strike? >>

“Part of our discussions include speaking to the British Medical Association (BMA) which we will be doing today.”

The (BMA) this morning announced that 98 per cent of members voted in favour of the strikes, 99 per cent in support of industrial action short of a strike, with 2 per cent against strikes and 11 spoilt ballot papers.

More than 37,000 doctors were balloted and 76% took part in the vote, the BMA said.

But in a last ditch effort to avoid strike action the BMA has approached the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) to open fresh talks with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and NHS Employers.

If a strike goes ahead, doctors will take action over three days, providing emergency care only for 24 hours from 8am on December 1, followed by full walkouts from 8am to 5pm on December 8 and 16.

Hospitals forced to cancel outpatient clinics and non-urgent operations.

Dr Mark Porter, chair of the BMA council, said he regretted the “inevitable disruption” it will case but added: “The Government's adamant insistence on imposing a contract that is unsafe for patients in the future, and unfair for doctors now and in the future, that has brought us to this point.”

The new contract is set to be imposed from next summer on doctors working up to consultant level.
Mr Hunt tried to avert strikes with a fresh deal, including an 11% rise in basic pay.

This is offset by plans to cut the number of hours on a weekend that junior doctors can claim extra pay for "unsocial" hours.

Currently, 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and the whole of Saturday and Sunday attract a premium rate of pay.

Under the new plans, a higher rate would run from 10pm to 7am Monday to Friday, and from 7pm on Saturday evenings - a concession on the previous 10pm.

Guaranteed pay increases linked to time in the job are being scrapped and replaced with a system linked to progression through set training stages.

Mr Hunt has said flexible pay premiums would be applied to more specialities than just general practice and A&E care, with acute medical ward staff and psychiatrists benefiting.

He argues that, under the new deal, just 1% of doctors would lose pay and those would be limited to doctors working too many hours already.

But Dr Cathy Paget who works at the SGH Accident and Emergency says proposals to scrap financial penalties imposed on hospitals making staff work too many hours will leave doctors “overworked” especially in emergency departments.

She said: “If doctors are working more antisocial hours they will be tired. We want a contract that is safe works for patients and doctors. If you want doctors to work more hours and more weekends you need to employ more people.”

She said the overall package would lead to a drop in doctors' pay in a job involving increasing risk and responsibility.

But she stressed her contract requires her to work during the strikes and added: “Nobody should be frightened about coming into the hospital in an emergency because they will be cared for.”