DORSET County Hospital (DCH) says that some procedures will be postponed as junior doctors stage another mass walkout this week.

Picket lines are being formed at the Dorchester hospital where members of the British Medical Association (BMA) are demanding a 35 per cent pay increase -  which Government ministers have said is unaffordable.

Most picket lines are expected to run from 7am until late morning however some could last until the afternoon. 

It comes just a month after a previous three-day strike in March, which also caused DCH to postpone some of its surgeries.

This week, BMA junior doctors are staging a 96-hour walkout from 7am today (Tuesday, April 11) until 7am on Saturday, April 15.

DCH says that junior doctors are 'vital for patient care and the running of our hospitals' as it urged people to explore other avenues for other urgent care needs.

"During their industrial action, some medically-led activity will be postponed to ensure that we can provide safe emergency and inpatient care," the hospital added.

"You will hear directly from our Trust if we have to postpone your appointment - if you don't hear from us please attend as planned.

"We appreciate how hard this can be for people who are waiting, and we will rearrange as soon as we are able.

"No-one should put off seeking urgent or emergency care during the strikes and people with serious, life-threatening conditions will continue to be seen at our Emergency Department (ED).

"However, please keep 999 and ED clear for life-threatening emergencies. Please visit NHS 111 online or call 111 for other urgent care needs."

The BMA has released several advertising campaigns in which it is claimed junior doctors could earn more by serving coffee.

The latest advert says that three junior doctors would earn £66.55 between them for taking out a patient's appendix.

It has advised its members to not attend shifts starting after 6.59am on April 11 during this second round of action.

Elsewhere in the county, University Hospitals Dorset, which manages Royal Bournemouth and Poole hospitals, said a 'majority' of medically-led activity will be cancelled during the strikes. 

The BMA claims that junior doctors’ pay has been cut by 'more than a quarter since 2008' as it urged the Government to 'engage and address' doctors' concerns following '15 years of pay erosion'.

"A crippling cost-of-living crisis, burnout and well below inflation pay rises risk driving hard working doctors out of their profession at a time when we need them more than ever," it said.

"If junior doctors are forced out of the NHS because of poor pay and conditions, the services we all rely on to look after our loved ones will suffer."

The Government's Health secretary Steve Barclay said: "We remain determined to find a settlement with the BMA junior doctors committee — like we’ve done with other unions.

"The NHS sees more pressure than usual over Easter and the four-day junior doctors' strike threatens to cause significant disruption.

"I urge [the BMA] to call off strikes and get back around the table to find a fair offer."