Bosses at York's hospital trust say operations and appointments postponed during the latest round of strike action by doctors will be rearranged "as a priority".

Junior doctors and consultants were continuing their longest ever period of joint strike action today (Wednesday, October 4) after the latest period of industrial action began at 7am on Monday (October 2).

The strike action - during which doctors are delivering ‘Christmas Day’ levels of staffing, including emergency care - is due to end at 7am on Thursday (October 5).

A spokesperson for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs York Hospital, said: “Unfortunately, we have postponed some operations and appointments over the period of strike action, which we will be rearranging as a priority.

“We appreciate this situation is frustrating for patients affected and apologise for any inconvenience caused. 

“Urgent and emergency treatment remains our priority and patients can continue to access care from our emergency departments, maternity services and critical services for inpatients. 

“It is vital that people do not put off seeking care.

“It is even more important people choose services wisely over this period so that care is available to patients who need it most. 

“This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and continuing to only use 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.

“Anyone with an appointment should continue to attend as planned unless they have been contacted to rearrange.”

Junior doctors recently voted in favour of continued strike action and the British Medical Association’s (BMA) mandate on industrial action has been renewed for a further six months.

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) said staff at 37 trusts in England were set to strike for 24 hours from 8am yesterday (October 3), placing pressure on services already affected by current industrial action.

It said members were joining the picket lines to raise awareness of staff shortages, low pay, and the excessive working hours they face.

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The BMA says junior doctors in England are facing burnout and below inflation pay rises which are forcing members out of the profession.

It says the consultants’ industrial action is based around declining pay, stating that since 2009 the real take-home pay of consultants in England has been cut by 35 per cent.

The Government said in July that junior doctors would get pay rises of six per cent along with an additional consolidated £1,250 increase and hospital consultants will also receive six per cent.

It urged unions to end “relentless” strike action, insisting doctors have received a “fair and reasonable” pay rise.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said doctors are “fed up” of being labelled the problem.

It said a new survey of 1,765 adults showed that Government attempts to blame medics for “cripplingly long” waiting lists have not convinced the public.

More than two in five respondents blamed the Government for the increase in waiting lists for elective treatment in England, which have risen from 2.6 million in 2010 to almost 7.7 million.

Dr Kim Last, a consultant in medical oncology was taking part in strike action outside York Hospital on Monday and spoke to The Press on his way to the national BMA rally in Manchester.

He said: “If you look back at the waiting list figures since this government came to power, almost all of the increase has been pre-strike action.”

Of the changing conditions for junior doctors he said: “Their life is immeasurably different and worse than mine was as a junior doctor.

“Their workload’s much more intense, their shift pattern is difficult, and they don’t have continuity with the people they work with when they do acute shifts.

“They have frequent gaps in staff, where they’re having to cover for absent staff.”