Junior doctors at Tauranga and Whakatāne hospitals walked off the job this morning as part of a national 48 hour strike organised by the New Zealand Resident Doctors' Union.

About 145 Bay of Plenty doctors have withdrawn their services as part of the two-day strike which started at 7am today and will run through until 7am on Thursday, October 20.

Bay doctors are among more than 3000 junior doctors who are members of the NZRDA. Each of New Zealand's 20 district health boards will be affected by the strike, which has come about after negotiations with DHBs over junior doctors' working conditions proved unsuccessful.

In the lead up to the strike, Medical Director Dr Hugh Lees says the Bay of Plenty District Health Board had engaged in contingency planning for more than a week prior to the strike.

'If patients have surgery or an Outpatient Department appointment booked on October 18-19, in either Tauranga or Whakatāne Hospital, they will be contacted by hospital staff to inform them of the status of their appointment or surgery.”

If patients are unsure about whether their appointment or surgery has been postponed they should phone 0800 333 477 between 8am and 4.30pm, to check their details.

Hugh also wants to reminded people that EDs are for emergencies, so visit your GP or an afterhours clinics for all non-emergency events. Medical advice is also available from HealthLine by calling 0800 611 116.

'If people need after hours medical care, they can also call their GP 24/7. When your GP clinic is closed a registered nurse will answer your call and give you the free professional advice you need.

'We also encourage people to ensure they're up-to-date with their prescriptions and other requirements, and if they get into difficulty, make their GP their first call.”