Health chiefs say emergency care for patients will not be affected by today's industrial action taken by junior doctors.

Today and tomorrow will see junior doctors withdraw emergency care for the first time in the history of the NHS.

More than 30 staff from Margate's QEQM hospital were striking today.

One junior doctor who works at the hospital is Yoshua Collins-Sawaragi.

He said: "We don't want to be striking but we are because we don't think the contracts being imposed on us are safe for doctors or patients and we are trying to save the NHS from privitisation.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused to the levels of care but actually senior staff are covering us and there are more emergency care workers here than on a bank holiday, all emergency care is being adequately covered.

"A lot of us are not keen on Jeremy Hunt, especially as he is the one trying to impose a contract that is unsafe.

"I don't think there is any political issue involved or any anti-conservative feeling about this, we just want safe contracts for us and for patients. That is the main aim."

"We just want safe contracts for us and for patients..." Yoshua Collins-Sawaragi

More than 2,500 consultants, GPs and senior doctors have signed a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt in support of their junior colleagues, offering assurances patients will be kept safe.

The action comes amid a row over new terms and conditions that resulted in Mr Hunt threatening to impose the new contract on trainee medics as part of his vision for a seven-day NHS.

Previously, junior A&E doctors working on strike days did not join their colleagues on the picket lines but in an escalation of the row between medics and the government, emergency rooms will now be affected.

East Kent Hospitals Trust has had to cancel 1,500 outpatient appointments and 81 planned surgeries.

Matthew Kershaw, Chief Executive, said: “As well as increasing senior doctor presence on strike days, we are taking measures to ensure we have the capacity to see and treat patients who require urgent or immediate care.

“We are taking every precaution to make sure that patients are kept safe and well-cared for over the strike period. It has been necessary to reschedule non-urgent appointments and planned operations.

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience this will cause and those affected will be contacted in advance.”

The ambulance service has also urged people to avoid using them unless it is a real emergency.

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) spokesman said: “SECAmb is asking the public to, as always, think carefully about calling 999 during this week’s planned period of industrial action by junior doctors.

"It is difficult to say how substantial the impact will be on our service but we have robust plans in place and will be monitoring the situation closely to ensure that we minimise the impact on patients.

“We will be looking to make best use of our clinicians in our control centres to advise patients, working with our healthcare partners in the community to delay, where appropriate, the transfer of patients to hospital and where possible seek alternative pathways such as minor injuries units as and when necessary.”