Appointments have been cancelled at hospitals across west London today as the junior doctors strike gets underway.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals Trust said unless patients have been told otherwise, all planned appointments had been cancelled.

The trust, which runs Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex Hospital, said its priority during the strike was emergency care.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused due to circumstances outside our control (this is a national strike) and we will be in touch to rebook your appointment as quickly as we can," it added in a statement on its website.

The Hillingdon Hospitals Trust said some scheduled appointments and procedures scheduled for the day would be cancelled, with affected patients contacted directly.

It advised patients to check its website www.thh.nhs.uk for updates on how the industrial action was impacting services.

London North West Healthcare Trust, which runs Ealing, Central Middlesex, and Northwick Park and St Mark's Hospitals, said some elective operations and non-urgent outpatient appointments would have to be postponed or rearranged.

It said it had "tried and tested" plans in place to deal with such a disruption, and had contacted patients who were affected.

The trust also warned of longer waiting times at A&E, urging patients in need of less urgent care to call NHS 111 or visit www.rightcare4u.org.uk to access other sources of healthcare.

The first walkout by doctors for 41 years is taking place after contract negotiations between health secretary Jeremy Hunt and the British Medical Association (BMA) broke down.

The strike will run from 8am today (Tuesday, January 12) until 8am tomorrow, with further industrial action proposed for January 26 and February 10.

Mr Hunt had offered a basic 11% pay rise but critics say this amounts to a cut as changes in working hours mean they will receive less overtime.