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Junior doctors have begun a four-day strike over pay amid fears 350,000 appointments will be cancelled and warnings from NHS hospitals - here’s what you need to know.

Up to 350,000 appointments could be cancelled in the UK as junior doctors begin a four-day strike today (April 11). This is the second time junior doctors have staged a walk-out in less than a month.

It comes after the government and the British Medical Association (BMA) failed to reach an agreement on pay. The BMA is asking for a 35 per cent pay rise to make up for 15 years of below-inflation wage increases - but the government has deemed the amount unrealistic.

When junior doctors went on strike from March 13 -15, around 175,000 outpatient appointments and operations had to be rescheduled. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, told Sky News he expects "up to 350,000 appointments" during this latest industrial action.

Hospital bosses have also warned that they “cannot guarantee” patient safety during the strike, which will involve more than 46,000 junior doctors. It is understood that the NHS will prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, trauma and neonatal care.

Junior doctors strike: Up to 350,000 appointments could be cancelled as 4-day walkout begins