“WE WON’T back down, we won’t give in.” 

That was the message from Oxfordshire’s junior doctors on the picket lines yesterday.

Hundreds of them stood outside the county’s hospitals for the second day of strike action in two months in protest against government plans to impose a new contract on them.

More than 100 junior doctors bearing placards and banners camped at the main entrance of the John Radcliffe Hospital as part of the 24-hour industrial action.

After a morning at the hospital gates in Headley Way, the medics moved to the Museum of the History of Science in Broad Street, Oxford.

The group chanted “no more lies, no more spin, we won’t back down, we won’t give in,” as well as “save our NHS”.

There were also protests outside The Churchill Hospital and one was planned for the Horton General Hospital at Banbury.

Junior doctor Nadia Randazzo said it was “disappointing” medics had to strike but accused Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt of using “bullying” tactics.

The vice-chairwoman of the British Medical Association’s Oxfordshire junior doctors committee added: “We are really angry and upset that the Government continues to threaten to impose the contract on us. It is bullying tactics.”

The row centres around Mr Hunt’s proposals to impose a new contract on junior doctors as part of plans to create more 24/7 services.

But the BMA says the new contract is unsafe for staff and patients because it will stretch limited resources more thinly across the NHS.

More than 37,000 junior doctors across the country – including 2,000 in the Thames Valley – voted in favour of industrial action last year, although a planned strike in December was halted the day before when talks reopened.

Junior doctors took to the picket lines last month for the first of the two planned 24-hour walkouts.

A 48-hour walkout planned for the end of last month was suspended to allow talks between the government and BMA to continue.

Despite last-ditch talks throughout Tuesday, no agreement was reached and the strike went ahead at 8am yesterday as planned.

During the industrial action the county’s hospitals will be offering emergency-care only services for the 24 hour period.

Junior doctor Rachel Clarke said it was “sad and upsetting” to be on strike again, but said the government has forced her and her colleagues to take action.

Mr Hunt said that the main dispute with the BMA was still around Saturday working and pay for unsocial hours, but insisted he had not rejected any proposals from the union.

He added: “I think it’s a good deal – it’s a fair deal.”

ONE PATIENT'S SUPPORT

Witney Gazette:

A heart surgery patient who has been recovering in hospital for eight months wheeled himself down to the picket lines to join striking junior doctors.

Rickie Poppleton, above, 31, suffers from endocarditis, a rare and potentially fatal heart infection, and was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in June following a number of heart attacks.

Doctors told him he had only a two per cent chance of survival before they performed open heart surgery to try to save his life.

But eight months later, despite his heart stopping on the operating table and going into a coma for three weeks, the Oxford man joined junior doctors on the picket lines outside the hospital.

Mr Poppleton said: “I’m here to support the doctors. If the doctors are demoralised and run down then they are not going to perform as well as they could.”

Follow live updates from our reporter on the picket line Joe Gammie: