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‘Significant majority’ of doctors have rejected BMA call for action over pensions, says DH

The Government also said that around one in ten patients have had their appointments changed, although this does include hospital patients too.

The BMA has indicated that around one in three practices have taken industrial action, based on information from their industrial relations officers.

However, an ongoing Pulse survey of PCTs in England suggests that the figure is closer to 26%, with 21 of the 46 PCT clusters having reported back.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley said: ‘In the run up to these strikes our objective has been to minimise disruption for patients.

‘We asked doctors to recognise that their quarrel was not with patients but with the Government. I am pleased that a significant majority of doctors have done just that and maintained services for their patients.'

Dr Hamish Meldrum, BMA chair, said: ‘Because doctors have been in their places of work as usual, it was always going to be difficult to put an exact figure on the scale of the action. Our feedback to date indicates that action is taking place in around one in three GP surgeries.'