Services at hospitals in East Lancashire are set to face disruption with operations and appointments under threat when junior doctors go on strike this week.

Junior doctors are to walk out from 7am today (Monday, March 13), until 7am on Thursday, March 16, in a dispute with the Government over pay and working conditions.

Now, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has warned patients that appointments and operations may face disruption during the strike period.

The trust is aiming to minimise the disruption at all its settings across the region, including Royal Blackburn Hospital, Burnley General Hospital, Clitheroe Community Hospital, Pendle Community Hospital, and Accrington Victoria Community Hospital.

While essential services will continue, some other services may be hampered by the walkout.

The strike, by members of the British Medical Association and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association.

The BMA has said junior doctors have experienced “a cut of more than 25 per cent to their salaries since 2008/09”, and it says this “lack of investment in wages by the Government has made it harder to recruit and retain junior doctors”.

Junior doctors are demanding pay restoration to address this decline, a mechanism to stop this kind of real terms decline from happening again, and reform of the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body process.

Tony McDonald, executive director of integrated care, partnerships and resilience at East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, said: "Our number one priority is to ensure that those in greatest need continue to have access to high quality care during the industrial action.

"We are doing everything we can to minimise disruption but there is no doubt that some services will be impacted.

"If you have an appointment at any of our hospitals, please assume this is going ahead - if we need to rearrange any appointments or procedures, we will contact you directly to let you know.

"Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases, when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

"Please help us by thinking about the most appropriate service for your need - if it is not life threatening or an emergency, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and a clinician will be able to advise what to do."

ELHT has warned some planned appointments and procedures may be cancelled and it may be at late notice as it works to try and make sure everything can go ahead.

The minor injuries unit at Accrington Victoria will also be closed from 8pm on Sunday, March 12, until 8am on Thursday, March 16. People who require urgent care can still attend the treatment centres at Burnley and Blackburn hospitals and the minor injuries unit in Rossendale.

People are advised to call 111 for the best advice on what services to access for their health issues.

The trust is also advising that there may be longer waits than usual to be seen at its settings.