Thirty-eight appointments and three operations have been rescheduled as junior doctors hold their second strike over pay and conditions.

The picket line has been drawn outside the William Harvey Hospital, in Kennington Road, and protesters are demanding a new fair contract.

One supporter and Ashford Green Party spokesperson, Mandy Rossi, said the party stood in solidarity with the junior doctors.

She said: "We believe the proposed new contract should be torn up - this is not about greed, this is about privatisation through the back door, by causing doctors to become dissatisfied with the Health Service, and this is about patient safety.”

Steve Campkin, fellow protestor and Green Party member, added: "The Government wants to extend the hours doctors work, but instead of increasing funding and employing more doctors to cover the hours they are just going to make already overworked and tired doctors work longer. That puts lives at risk.

"When things start to go wrong due to concentration levels being compromised the NHS will be attacked and the answer will be privatisation."

Formal talks to resolve the dispute over contracts between The British Medical Association (BMA) and ministers broke down in January.

The BMA said industrial action is necessary because they have not managed to reach agreement with NHS Employers and the Department of Health on the new junior doctors contract.

However a number of protocols have been put in place to ensure patient safety and an East Kent Hospitals Trust spokesman insisted continuity plans are in place at the William Harvey Hospital.

She added: "We are further enhancing those processes across all of our hospitals to continue providing safe and effective services for patients who needed our care on strike action day.

"Where it has been necessary to re-schedule non-urgent appointments, patients have been notified by telephone.

"We have increased senior doctor presence on strike day to ensure delivery of safe emergency services for patients who required urgent or immediate care.

"However, we reiterate the normal advice to people requiring healthcare – that is to use the right service for their need, allowing our specialist A&E staff to focus on those who need immediate or urgent care."

Anyone requiring medical help or advice is encouraged to contact NHS Choices on 111 or visit www.healthhelpnow-nhs.net.