The junior doctors’ union has said it “deeply regrets” the disruption caused by strikes this year after it was revealed at least 5,000 operations, procedures and appointments were cancelled at hospitals across south-west London.

According to figures obtained through freedom of information requests from this website, at least 5,319 vital hospital service appointments were cancelled, with Kingston Hospital worst affected.

It estimated it cancelled 2,598 appointments and operations, followed by Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals with 1,855, Epsom and St Helier hospitals with 790 and St George’s Hospital, in Tooting, with just 76.

Wednesday, April 27: 'I just feel devalued': Kingston Hospital's junior doctors picket during first all-out strike

Wednesday, January 13: In pictures: Junior doctors across south west London and north Surrey join in nationwide strike

The NHS trust in charge of Croydon University Hospital refused to supply the figures, claiming the costs of researching the information would be “in excess of the appropriate limit”.

Junior doctors walked out of hospitals nationwide five times this year in a bitter row with the Government over a new contract, including three two-day strikes in March and April.

Earlier this month, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced it was calling off the threat of future industrial action amid fears planned five-day strikes over autumn would wreak havoc within the NHS.  

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Junior doctors strike outside St Helier Hospital

A BMA spokesman said: “We deeply regret the disruption caused to patients due to cancelled appointments or operations.

“Patient care has always been the priority for junior doctors while trying to negotiate a new contract. Industrial action was a last resort for doctors whose concerns were simply being ignored by the government.

“We have agreed to end the current mandate for industrial action and hope to engage directly with the Government and NHS Employers.”

Representatives for St George’s Hospital and Epsom and St Helier hospitals said staff were able to keep all key services open while the strikes took place.

St George’s said the hospital has already put “resilience plans” in place should industrial action re-emerge.

A spokesman for Epsom and St Helier said: “During the recent periods of industrial action, staff from across our hospitals worked incredibly hard to keep our sites running smoothly and safely.

“During the junior doctors’ industrial action between dates in January to April, we rescheduled a number of planned appointments including 644 outpatients and 146 admissions.

“This represents a small fraction of the 326,000 outpatients we have seen and the 53,051 people admitted to our hospitals since the start of the financial year.”

North-Surrey based Ashford and St Peter’s hospitals said all cancelled appointments and operations have been rescheduled, though some patients are still waiting for surgery.

A spokesman said: “Currently the BMA have suspended all industrial action so we are not anticipating any further strikes.

“If further industrial action did take place in the future we would prepare in the same way we have previously; prioritising the safety of our patients by ensuring we have the necessary staff in attendance and monitoring our outpatient and elective activity.”

Your Local Guardian:

The picket line at Kingston Hospital in April

A Kingston hopsital spokeswoman said: “Our priority is keeping our patients safe.

"That is why we took the decision to rearrange planned appointments and operations to ensure that our acutely unwell inpatients continued to receive high quality care.”

Junior doctors first walked out of hospitals in January after health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced he was imposing new contracts despite them not being agreed with the BMA.

The contract makes it cheaper to rota junior doctors on weekends, which Mr Hunt said is needed to improve NHS care.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "It's welcome news for patients that the BMA has now completely called off industrial action.

“The NHS is getting on with the job of implementing this contract and we are determined to make sure junior doctors are supported during this process."