DESPITE dismal conditions junior doctors are out manning pickets in Bournemouth and Poole this morning.

The profession began nationwide industrial action at 8am this morning, which will see NHS junior doctors provide emergency cover only for 48 hours - until 8am on Friday - in protest at planned changes to their pay and working hours being introduced by the Government.

As well as holding pickets outside the Royal Bournemouth (RBH) and Poole hospitals this morning in the face of an icy wind and driving rain, many of the medics will be heading to Southampton later to join a Wessex-wide protest against the new contract, which doctors' union the British Medical Association (BMA) claims will jeopardise patient safety.

At the Bournemouth picket, junior doctor Joshua Gaon said: "People, friends and family ask why isn't this sorted now, and we are almost in the same boat.

"The public are behind us. We have called for very reasonable adjustments and amendments to the contract and have asked for assurances about certain things.

"It is insulting that our consistent and fair arguments have been dismissed."

He said the NHS needed to change or it would "break", but said the Government's plans would only make the present staffing and funding pressures on the NHS worse, with trusts dangerously overworking doctors in defiance of fines to cover gaps in the rota.

"We are not trying to be martyrs," he said.

"We are just trying to be normal people living their lives. I am in a better position than many of my colleagues and I have already dedicated the last nine years to this profession. We want a fair return. We want to be able to see our families and go out at weekends."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced he will impose the new contract on junior doctors - everyone up to consultant level - after months of talks with the BMA failed to reach a resolution.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "Patients have so far seen more than 19,000 operations cancelled as a result of the BMA's irresponsible and unjustified industrial action.

"The new contract, 90 per cent of which was agreed with the BMA and endorsed by senior NHS leaders, is a very good deal for doctors and the NHS."

The Government claims the new contract is fair and will lead to better service for patients, however the BMA says the changes to working hours will be unsafe for patients and lead to an overall pay reduction for juniors, many of whom might then leave the profession. Two further 48-hour strikes are planned from 8am on April 8 and and April 26.

Juniors from both RBH and Poole Hospital will also be visiting schools and youth groups around the county today and tomorrow to provide lifesaving and first aid advice for youngsters and their parents.

Dr Gaon said: "We don't like picketing, it is not what we are meant to be doing but it is important for the strike.

"This work in the community is the main thing for us. The public will miss appointments in the short term due to the strike, but I think these talks will be quite beneficial for the community.

"In the long term we all benefit as we will get an NHS which can continue to exist."

Numerous operations and appointments have been postponed as with previous strikes.

A spokesman for Poole Hospital said they had postponed five elective procedures and 122 outpatient appointments during the 48-hour strike period.

In a statement the trust said: "As with previous junior doctors' industrial action, Poole Hospital has a robust plan to ensure the safety of our patients, with the priority to ensure the smooth running of the hospital on the proposed days of action.

"Our objective is to ensure that our patients are safe at all times and that with a planned and measured approach we can minimise any disruption to our services.

"Urgent and emergency care services will be available as usual, but hospitals are expected to be under additional pressure."

The strike has seen 35 operations and 504 outpatient appointments postponed at RBH.

An RBH spokesman said: "We are going to redirect some of our consultant medical staff and other clinical staff to cover the roles that junior doctors would normally be undertaking. This means that our emergency services and any patients staying in the hospital will be unaffected.

"We thank our patients and service users for their understanding during this time."