HOSPITAL bosses in Hampshire are preparing to axe scores of operations and clinics ahead of junior doctors launching a fresh wave of strikes tomorrow  over pay and conditions.

Senior managers at Southampton General Hospital and the Royal County Hospital Hampshire are poised to suspend a raft of non-urgent surgeries and outpatient clinics to ensure enough staff can cover shifts during the walkouts.

It comes as junior doctors prepare to take to the picket lines for the first of three days of industrial action in the climax of a bitter row over new contracts.

Now county health campaigners have condemned junior doctors' actions as "regrettable" warning they will cause disruption at a time of year when a cold snap is on the horizon and the NHS is bracing itself for an influx of patients in a brewing winter crisis.

But hospital chiefs pledge robust enough staffing plans in place to prevent potential chaos after holding crunch meetings with department heads.

And junior doctors say have no choice but to launch the actions in protest over new working conditions in their contracts they say will put patients "lives at risk" by overworking doctors and leaving them prone to tiredness and mistakes.

Tomorrow junior doctors will provide emergency care only from 8am until 8am Wednesday morning - followed by a 48-hour stoppage and the provision of emergency care only from 8am on Tuesday January 26.

On Wednesday February 10, there will be a full withdrawal of labour from 8am to 5pm.

Both hospitals are cancelling non-urgent theatre lists and outpatient clinics so staff can fill in for colleagues taking to the picket lines.

Patients will be notified in advance if their appointments are cancelled and their bookings will be rescheduled.

Extra consultants are being drafted in to replace the junior doctors expected to walk out.

But emergency departments will be operating as normal throughout.

Dr Caroline Marshall, chief operating officer for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, said: "To ensure our hospitals run as safely and effectively as possible during the periods of strike action, we expect to cancel some outpatient clinics and non-urgent theatre lists to re-allocate clinical staff in other areas.

"Any patients who will be affected if strike action goes ahead will be contacted via telephone beforehand and told that their appointment has been cancelled."

But she urged other patients with unaffected appointments to turn up as normal and for everyone else to attend if the strikes are called off.

Mary Edwards, Chief Executive, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "Our priority is always the safety of our patients. We might need to reschedule some clinics if the strike goes ahead.  The patients with appointments that might be affected if the strike goes ahead are being contacted by the hospital and these patients should follow the advice given.  Patients who are not contacted by the hospital should attend their appointment as planned.”

But Harry Dymond, chairman of patient group Hampshire Healthwatch, which has been liaising with hospital management to ensure patient safety, said he is "disappointed" at the industrial action and said: "A strike in the NHS is unwelcome at any time, but this time of year is particularly worrying as pressure on hospitals can be expected to increase.

"There is no doubt that there will be disruption to patient treatment leading to further pressure on waiting times as scheduled operations and outpatient appointments will need to be cancelled and rescheduled.  This is particularly regrettable and we urge both sides in this dispute to work harder at finding a solution to the last remaining issues."

He added: "It will be a difficult situation for both patients and hospital management and the public can help by using the service wisely and using other services where possible."

The new series of strikes follows the breakdown of talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and NHS Employers.

Fresh talks had been arranged through the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) following a last ditch deal to call off strikes on three days on December 1, 8 and 16.

But talks collapsed on January 4 when both sides reached stalemate.

Previously 98% of BMA members voted in favour of the strikes, 99% in support of industrial action short of a strike, with 2% against strikes and 11 spoilt ballot papers.

Dr Mark Porter, BMA council chairman, said: “After weeks of further negotiations, it is clear that the Government is still not taking junior doctors’ concerns seriously. Furthermore, the Government has repeatedly dragged its feet throughout this process, initially rejecting our offer of talks and failing to make significant movement during negotiations."