NHS England has today issued an update on the industrial action by junior doctors that is taking place during April 27.

In the period of industrial action on 27 April 2016 (which includes the full withdrawal of emergency cover by junior doctors), the earliest available data, reported as at 0900hrs, indicates 78% of junior doctors who were expected to be working have not reported for duty today – this includes other forms of absence not just industrial action such as sickness.

Further NHS analysis of the last industrial action – covering the period 6 to 8 April 2016  (when emergency cover was provided)  – shows that on each day of the last strike 14,600 junior doctors were not at work with approximately 12,800 (88%) actually on strike, with the remainder absent for other reasons such sickness.

The ongoing action – including the withdrawal of emergency care – is unprecedented in the history of the NHS and planning efforts have been stepped up across the country to ensure essential services are maintained and disruption minimised as far as possible.

Dr Anne Rainsberry, National Incident Director for NHS England, said: “We’re not going to pretend the last two days have been easy but the NHS has remained open to business for patients. We ask the public to continue to use it wisely while the action is ongoing.

“The health service has coped admirably to date thanks to extensive planning and the exhaustive efforts of other staff. However the strike has undoubtedly increased pressure on a service already facing increasing demand and has led to the highly regrettable cancellation of needed care for well over 100,000 patients.”