THE Barnet Green Party has expressed its support for junior doctors ahead of planned strike action.

Picket lines will be set up at hospitals across the country tomorrow, over an ongoing row between the Government and the British Medical Association (BMA) over changes to trainees’ contracts.

Junior doctors will provide emergency care only for 24 hours from 8am, with further industrial action planned for later this month and in February.

The Royal Free NHS Trust, which runs Barnet Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital, says it has put measures in place to ensure patient safety "is not compromised".

In a statement, the Barnet Green Party said it stands with them and supports the industrial action.

It added: “These changes would be detrimental to the health of both junior doctors, who already work very long hours, and patients, whose safety will put at risk.

“This short-sighted government is constantly expecting the NHS to do more with less. Our NHS is in crisis, and by failing to invest in junior doctors, the government is locking this crisis in for years to come, as more junior doctors move abroad or simply quit.

“Jeremy Hunt must urgently change his position on this, and listen to the professionals who understand the implications of his politically-motivated plans.”

Under the proposals, junior doctors in England will get an increase in their basic pay, but will have to work more weekends, and bonus pay for working unsociable hours will be curbed.

The contract will also axe automatic pay rises after each year of training.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says the changes would help create a 24 hour, seven day a week NHS, quoting figures that show patients are more likely to die at weekends or in the evening.

But doctors say these figures have been “misreported” and they already work hard to provide a safe, seven-day service.

In a statement, the Royal Free NHS Trust said: “Our junior doctors play a key role in helping us provide world class care to all our patients. 

"Following the announcement by the British Medical Association, we have put a number of measures in place to ensure that patient safety is not compromised during the industrial action due to take place on Tuesday 12 January.

"We are working hard to ensure that cancellations are kept to a minimum. Patients whose treatment is affected will be contacted by telephone to change their appointments and all patients will be offered a new date in due course."

It added: “We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

“We have put plans in place to enable us to deliver safe services for patients during the strike action. Our priority will be to ensure that all urgent and emergency services at our hospitals run as normal.”

Junior doctors at Barnet Hospital, in Wellhouse Lane, and North Middlesex Hospital, in Wilbury Way, Edmonton, spoke to the Times and Independent Series last October about their concerns over the proposed changes.

These included fears the changes would lead to pay cuts for many.