A LAST ditch bid will be made today to avert strike action by junior doctors which has already led to cancelled operations in Hampshire.

Government negotiators are planning to talk with bosses from the British Medical Association in an effort to reach a deal before thousands of junior doctors take industrial action, including hundreds from Hampshire.

It comes just days after the Daily Echo revealed that operations across Hampshire would be cancelled because of the strikes this week.

Hospital chiefs in Southampton and Winchester have already held emergency meetings to ensure patients would still receive necessary care after the first strikes were announced for tomorrow.

The University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the General and the Princess Anne, wrote to patients to confirm the cancellation of some outpatient clinics and non-urgent theatre operations, in a move it said would allow the redistribution of clinical staff in other areas.

The Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester also conceded that scheduled procedures and appointments could face cancellation.

Meanwhile details of a mass rally in Southampton have also been released by striking staff who are expected to number up to 500.

Cathy Paget, who works at Southampton General Hospital’s accident and emergency department, said strike action is a last resort after doctors were “backed into a corner”.

She previously told the Daily Echo that between 400 and 500 doctors will walk out on Tuesday and stage protests in Guildhall Square and outside the hospital itself.

Now she has confirmed that a tomorrow there will be a picket and supporter outside the general hospital main entrance from 8am till 11am as well as a regional rally will be staged outside the Guildhall from 11.30am to 1.30pm. A picket will also be manned outside the main entrance of Southampton General Hospital from 8am.

Staff on strike have also organised for the Anthony Nolan Trust to be among the crowd at the rally to try and recruit more bone marrow donors.

Cathy said: “The idea is to ensure a better outcome for our patients even when on strike, it’s hard for doctors to be totally rebellious and we want some good to come out of the protest via a better safer fairer contract and for more bone marrow donors to be available.”

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt previously refused to agree to discussions unless BMA officials came to the negotiating table first, but changed his mind last week when he told BMA chairman Dr Mark Porter “any talks are better than strikes”.

Cathy said that if today's talks led to Mr Hunt not imposing the controversial new contract then their strike would be cancelled – but she said they are “not convinced” this will happen.

A third day of negotiations between the DoH, NHS and the BMA, hosted by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service was also held at the weekend without resolution.

Doctors across the UK are also poised to take action on three days, providing emergency care only for 24 hours from 8am tomorrow followed by walkouts from 8am on December 8 and 16.