Under the plans, junior doctors would provide "emergency care only" action for 24 hours on December 1, followed by a full walk out from 8am to 5pm on December 8 and December 16.  "I remain firmly of the view that a strike by junior doctors is entirely avoidable"  Hospitals would be forced to cancel most planned operations and outpatients appointments, and to roster as many senior doctors as possible to cover emergency care.  Mr Hunt told the House of Commons: "It is going to be very difficult to avoid harm to patients during these three days of industrial action.  "Something like delaying a cancer clinic which might mean someone gets a later diagnosis than they should, delaying a hip operation when someone is in a great deal of pain: these are things that it is going to be very very hard to avoid an impact on patients," he said, urging the union not to go ahead with strike action.  Results from the ballot on industrial action are expected on Thursday, with doctors expected to vote resoundingly in favour of strikes.  The BMA has said it will only withdraw the threat if Mr Hunt withdraws the warning that he would impose a contract if agreement cannot be reached.  The union has also accused ministers of setting "preconditions" on talks, referring to previous recommendations drawn up by an independent review of doctors’ pay and conditions.  Balloons on display during a protest for junior doctors in London Photo: Natasha Quarmby/REX Shutterstock  Mr Hunt yesterday insisted the Government was prepared to "negotiate about anything within the current pay envelope".  However he said the Government reserved the right to make changes to contracts if there is no progress overcoming obstacles to create “a truly seven-day NHS."  In the letter to Dr Johann Malwana, chairman of the BMA's junior doctors committee, Mr Hunt wrote: "I remain firmly of the view that a strike by junior doctors is entirely avoidable and we should both do all we can to avert any action that risks harm to the patients we serve."  A BMA spokesperson said: “The BMA has been clear that we want to get back around negotiating table. In order to do this the government must remove the threat of imposition and provide the reasonable assurances we need on a contract that is safe and fair, and delivers for patients, junior doctors and the NHS as a whole.”  An all-out strike would be the first by doctors in NHS history. Previous strikes in 1975 and 2012 fell short of a full walk-out.  Changes to junior doctors were proposed by Government as part of efforts to improve patient safety, and increase levels of cover at weekends  The terms would see an 11 per cent rise in basic pay, to offset a reduction in premiums for hours worked at weekends and evenings.  The BMA says the terms would cut overall pay, and damage safety, by removing penalties for hospitals if doctors work excess hours.  Ahead of the ballot, the Health Secretary offered new assurances, promising that three quarters of juniors would see an increase in pay, with pay protected for all but 1 per cent of doctors until 2019.  He also promised new rules to limit overall hours far more than the current maximum.
Jeremy Hunt warns of risks to patients from doctors' strikes, as he makes a   last ditch plea to unions in a bid to head off industrial action