HOSPITAL bosses in York have warned that appointments and procedures will have to be postponed, and have urged people to call 999 only in a 'serious or life-threatening emergency', as the latest six-day strike by junior doctors began this morning.

Medics across England went out on strike for six days from today - the longest walk-out by doctors in NHS history.

The industrial action runs until 7am on Tuesday January 9. It comes at one of the busiest times of the year for the NHS as it grapples with increased pressure from winter viruses and a rise in people coming forward who delayed seeking help over the holidays.

The NHS has warned that the strike, which could see up to half of the medical workforce in England walk out, could lead to 'the most difficult start to the year the NHS has ever faced'.

A spokesperson for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust stressed this morning that consultants and other specialist doctors would still be working in York.

But they admitted that the strike by junior doctors would have an impact.

"During the industrial action, we are prioritising urgent and emergency treatment to protect patient safety and ensure those in life-saving emergencies can receive the best possible care," the spokesperson said.

"It is vital that people do not put off seeking medical attention and patients can continue to access care from our emergency departments.

“The disruption to staffing means we have postponed some appointments and procedures over the period of industrial action, which we will be re-arranging as a priority. We appreciate this situation is frustrating for patients affected and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“Anyone with an appointment should continue to attend as planned unless they have been contacted to rearrange."

The hospital has urged people during the strike to 'choose services appropriately' and 'take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most'.

"This includes using 111 online as the first port, and only using 999 if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency," the York Hospitals spokesperson said.

"GP practices will continue to be open during the junior doctors’ strike, so please continue to attend your appointment unless you are contacted and told otherwise.

"For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS UK website.”

While consultants and specialty and associate specialist (SAS) doctors have agreed a deal with the Government, the action by junior doctors has rumbled on for months with no resolution.

Last summer, the Government gave junior doctors in England an average rise of 8.8 per cent, but medics said the increase was not enough and ramped up strike efforts.

Late in the year the Government and junior doctors entered talks, but after five weeks of negotiations the negotiations broke down and more strikes were called.

BMA junior doctors committee co-chairs Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said in a statement this morning: “Doctors would have liked to start the new year with the hope of an offer on pay that would lead to a better-staffed health service and a better-valued profession.

"Instead, doctors are still set to be paid £15.50 an hour and are being forced to go back out on strike by a Government that cannot get its act together and make the reasonable offer on pay it knows it eventually must.

“We spent the holiday period hoping we would get the ‘final offer’ that the Health Secretary had promised us last year. Sadly, we have received no such offer.

"We will continue to offer to meet throughout these coming strikes. All we need is a credible offer we can put to members and we can call off these strikes.

They added: “Morale across the health service is at an all-time low. 15 years of pay erosion have meant a 26 per cent real terms pay cut for an increasingly undervalued workforce who are overstretched and left yet again to carry the burden of years of the neglect and decline this Government has overseen. Many will be wondering if their chosen career is still worth pursuing."

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said: "January is typically the busiest time of the year for the NHS and these strikes will have a serious impact on patients across the country.

"I urge the BMA Junior Doctors Committee to call off their strikes and come back to the negotiating table so we can find a fair and reasonable solution to end the strikes once and for all."