All NHS services across Kent are expected to be “significantly impacted” as junior doctors stage a five-day walkout over pay in their longest-ever strike.

British Medical Association (BMA) members are taking to the picket lines in England for 120 hours – starting from 7am today (Thursday) until 7am on Tuesday, July 18.

Consultants will then strike for 48 hours from 7am on Thursday, July 20 to 7am on Saturday, July 22.

The industrial action is expected to have “a significant impact” on all NHS services throughout the county, according to health bosses.

NHS Kent and Medway, which plans and buys healthcare services for 1.9 million residents, is asking people to think carefully about which services they use to ensure those most in need can access the right care.

The integrated care board’s (ICB) chief medical officer, Kate Langford, said: “We are working closely with our partners to make sure patients can access the care they need, in a safe environment, during industrial action.

“We anticipate and are planning for the action to have significant impact on services provided across all areas of the NHS, including our hospitals, accident and emergency departments, primary care (GP practices) and mental health services.

“Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is important 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.’

“Throughout the strikes, the 111/999 phone lines are likely to be very busy (so) we are urging anyone with a non-urgent care need to first seek help from NHS 111 online.”

Care is available through other NHS services, including urgent treatment centres and pharmacies, which health chiefs say should be used for needs not considered urgent.

The NHS says it will only reschedule appointments and procedures when necessary, and will immediately re-book where possible.

Patients impacted by the strike action will be directly contacted – otherwise appointments will take place as planned.

Meanwhile, the British Medical Association (BMA) say negotiations with the government need to resume.

A spokesman said: “We have to get back to talks. The government’s refusal to talk with junior doctors in England who have strikes planned is out of keeping with all norms of industrial action.

“We can call this strike off today if the UK government will simply follow the example of the government in Scotland, and drop their nonsensical precondition of not talking whilst strikes are announced and produce an offer which is credible to the doctors they are speaking with.

“The complete inflexibility we see today is baffling, frustrating, and ultimately destructive for everyone who wants waiting lists to go down and NHS staffing numbers to go up.

“The government has missed chance after chance to provide a credible offer and potentially bring to an end the industrial action by junior doctors in England.

“Whilst there are differences between junior doctors and governments in England and Scotland, the UK government has far more financial freedom to give doctors what they deserve.”