CHRISTCHURCH MP Chris Chope has called on junior doctors to 'care for sick people like vets care for sick animals', in a Parliamentary debate over the planned strike next month.

In a discussion arising from an urgent question in the Commons, Conservative MP, Mr Chope, said: "Isn't the root problem that the NHS is a monopoly employer of junior doctors?

"If the veterinary profession can provide 24/7 care for sick animals, why can’t junior doctors do the same for sick people?”

Health Minister Alistair Burt replied: "The Commonwealth Fund said recently the NHS was the best in the world. The NHS staff, therefore, by implication are the best in the world.

"They do an extraordinary job and junior hospital doctors do a fantastic job. Patient satisfaction is at an extremely high level, we want to see that continue.

"I don't think there is any particular reason why the NHS employers - who are also calling for negotiations to continue and for strike action not to take place - aren't in full view of what they need in terms of staffing to create an even safer health service."

The debate followed an urgent question raised by shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander.

Up to 60,000 operations are at risk of cancellation or delay every day that junior doctors go on strike in planned industrial action next month, Mr Burt said.

He described the strikes as "entirely avoidable" and urged the British Medical Association (BMA) to avert anything that risks harm to patients during three days of action by junior doctors in England.

He insisted Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has not ruled out mediation through the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), as requested by the BMA.

Ms Alexander said "negotiation by press release" was the wrong way to go about the dispute.

She said: "Do you understand junior doctors are particularly angry about the way in which the Health Secretary has repeatedly conflated the reform of the junior doctor contract with seven-day services?

"Junior doctors already work weekends. They already work nights. And for the record, there isn't a single junior doctor I have met over the last few months who wouldn't drop everything to respond to a major terrorist incident."

Ms Alexander said: "To suggest otherwise is an insult to their professionalism."