Junior doctors have called their escalated strike action “regrettable and avoidable” – but are not backing down.

Doctors at Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield were among those across the country who walked out at 8am this morning, and will remain on strike until 5pm tomorrow (April 27).

For the first time doctors on emergency wards will walk out, with consultants and senior doctors covering, resulting in cancelled clinics and operations.

Holly Greer, a junior doctor at Chase Farm, said they had been backed into a corner by the Department of Health’s refusal to negotiate and attempts to impose the new contract on them.

She said: “Patients will be safe, but there will be disruption which is regrettable and avoidable.

“The Department of Health has called the negative impact the contract will have on women and single parents as proportionate means to a legitimate aim – which is ridiculous.

“They are not treating us as professionals, they are imposing a contract without getting professional opinion, and really they are completely ignoring us.

“Their main argument is for a seven day NHS, but I worked a 12 day stretch recently – we are trying to work out what they want us to do.”

Maria Ivanov, a fifth year junior doctor from Romania, said she backed a cross-party proposal for a trial period of the new contract, to see if it would work.

She said: “The short term disruption is necessary to stop the long term future being even worse.

“It is getting to the stage where I am thinking to leave England, and go and work in Scotland or Wales.”

Ms Ivanov said they would man the picket lines until 12.30pm before attending a rally in central London and sessions meeting the general public are also planned.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt accused union leaders of trying to "blackmail" the Government with strike action.

He said: "It was the first page of our manifesto that we'd have a seven-day NHS.

"I don't think any union has the right to blackmail the Government, to force the Government to abandon a manifesto promise that the British people have voted on."