JUNIOR doctors in Bournemouth and Poole are "dismayed and angered" at today's decision to impose a new contract.

At midday the Government announced it would go ahead with the contract despite opposition from the British Medical Association (BMA) - the union for doctors - which has held two strikes this year, including a 24-hour walkout yesterday.

Read our coverage of the strike here

Junior doctors' strike: What you need to know

At Poole Hospital junior doctors are without official BMA representation.

One of the organisers of yesterday's strike outside the hospital, Damien Mayo, said: "In the last hour the reactions I have come across have been dismay and anger.

"It is absolutely awful, we don't know what is going to happen next.

"The BMA has twice put forward cost neutral proposals which won't cost more than the Government is willing to spend, but will preserve safe working practices and Saturday as antisocial hours."

Dr Mayo said he feared the Government hoped to set a precedent with its line on premium pay for evening and weekend work in preparation for future negotiations with consultants and nursing staff.

"As a result of this I think many doctors will stop working in substantive NHS contracts," he said.

"A few may leave the country, I think many will do locum work putting even more pressure on scheduling.

"Already 50 per cent of accident and emergency and 20 per cent of GP jobs are unfilled next year."

Junior doctor Joshua Gaon, the BMA representative for the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, said: "We are awaiting a more official response from the BMA about a plan of action.

"It goes without saying that this is disappointing and a large percentage of the public and doctors are not happy with this contract.

"As Jeremy Hunt has said it is the 'nuclear option', and there were other ways of approaching this dispute."

Speaking in the House of Commons today, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said talks with the BMA had ended in stalemate and it was time to "end the uncertainty".

He has been backed by NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens who said that drawn out strike action would only harm patients, as well as a number of hospital trust executives around the country.

Mr Stevens said: "Junior doctors play a critical role in the NHS, work incredibly hard in high pressure roles, and have a range of legitimate non-pay concerns about their training.

"These now have to be comprehensively addressed by hospitals, the medical royal colleges, and the national training bodies.

"But drawn out industrial action over contracts and pay would mean further disruption to patients who are relying on NHS care, with thousands more operations cancelled and check-ups delayed."

The BMA has vowed to continue its fight saying it will "consider all options", raising the possibility of further strikes.

Dr Johann Malawana, the BMA's junior doctor committee chairman, said: "The decision to impose a contract is a sign of total failure on the Government's part.

"The Government's shambolic handling of this process from start to finish has totally alienated a generation of junior doctors - the hospital doctors and GPs of the future, and there is a real risk that some will vote with their feet.

Pickets were set up at both the Royal Bournemouth and Poole hospitals yesterday morning. Doctors told the Daily Echo that the strike was their "only option", and said previous action and threats of action in December last year had successfully forced concessions from the Government.

Yesterday saw 47 operations and 255 outpatient appointments cancelled across Bournemouth and Poole as consultants took over junior doctor roles for the day, although both hospitals said that with adequate time to prepare there had been "minimal" disruption.

The dispute centres around junior doctors' working hours and the hours during evenings and weekends which command premium pay.

The Government made a "best and final" offer to the BMA on Wednesday afternoon as thousands of doctors were on strike, but it was rejected.

Currently, 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and the whole of Saturday and Sunday attracts a premium rate of pay for junior doctors.

The final offer from the Government said doctors would receive time-and-a-half for any hours worked Monday to Sunday between 9pm and 7am, and time-and-a-third for any hours worked between 5pm and 10pm on Saturdays and 7am and 10pm on Sundays, as well as premiums for working one in four weekends or more for all Saturdays they worked.