Hundreds of Bay of Plenty patients' surgeries and appointments will be disrupted by Junior Doctors walking off their jobs today, over pay and conditions.

Services at both Tauranga and Whakatāne hospitals will be reduced to a minimum for 48 hours from 7am today to 7am Thursday 17 January.

BOPDHB Contingency Planning Lead Neil McKelvie says 100 elective surgical operations and 549 outpatient appointments have been postponed.

He's not anticipating any further postponement at this stage.

'Patients who have a scheduled surgery or outpatient's appointment during the strike have been contacted and given details of what the changes mean for them,” says Neil.

'If people are unsure about their appointment they should call 0800 333 477 between 7.30am and 6pm weekdays.

'Only emergency and essential services will be available at Tauranga and Whakatāne hospitals for urgent medical care.

'If you require medical attention for a situation that is NOT life threatening please contact your GP 24/7.

'Your call will be answered by a Registered Nurse day or night and you will receive the health advice you need.”

Almost 3000 junior doctors are expected to strike affecting all DHBs apart from West Coast District Health Board.

At issue is the renewed collective employment agreement after the last one expired nearly a year ago.

Resident Doctors' Association says doctors have been forced to take industrial action to keep their existing terms and conditions, which would be changed under the current district health board proposal.

DHBs have previously said the sticking point was over rosters.

SERVICES WHICH WILL REMAIN OPEN:

• Emergency Departments

• Assessment Planning Unit, APU (Tauranga)

• Intensive Care Unit/CCU/HDU (Tauranga), Acute Care Unit (Whakatāne)

• All wards (Tauranga and Whakatāne)

• Maternity Units (Tauranga and Whakatāne)

• Special Care Baby Units (Tauranga and Whakatāne)

• Mental Health and Addiction Inpatients' Wards

• Public Health Services (Toi Te Ora)

• Renal Dialysis Unit (Tauranga)

• Clinical Physiology

• Acute endoscopies

• Imaging Departments

• Outpatients rehabilitation (e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, etc)