Doctors' strike: Nurses and midwives will support strikers What is important is that people who see a doctor, do see a doctor. It is not appropriate for any other discipline to fill in. Nurses cannot do anything that will damage patient care. Jon Skewes, director of employment relations and development at the RCM, said: "This is legitimate action by our medical colleagues and we respect their decision. We are advising our members to work as normal but not to undertake work that would undermine the action. Roger Goss, co-director of campaign group Patient Concern, said their decision to support doctors as "unacceptable" and claimed would put sick patients at risk. He said: "If nurses are not backing doctors up in the normal way, they may take a more lax view of whether someone is urgent case or an emergency. That really is unacceptable. Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, has written to the British Medical Association saying the action is not justified. Mr Lansley said: "The BMA say doctors feel that changes to their pension scheme are unfair and unnecessary. This suggests that they do not feel any change to their pensions arrangements are justified - but change is necessary and our proposals are fair. "If doctors" contribution rates were to remain unchanged then a nurse earning £30,000 a year would see their take home pay fall by around £100 per month simply to cover the shortfall. In seeking a more generous deal for doctors, they are seeking a more unfair deal for NHS staff overall. Pulse magazine reported that almost three quarters of GP surgeries will be open as normal on Thursday as many have not notified their primary care trust that they intend to take action. A survey by Pulse found 218 practices out of 1,265 had notified their PCT that they were taking action. Many trusts reported that only a 'handful' of operations in hospitals and outpatient appointments were being cancelled. All patients whose treatment is cancelled due to the industrial action is entitled to be seen within 28 days. Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA, emphasised doctors would be doing everything they could to ensure patients were safe on Thurday. He said: "Patient safety is our absolute priority. We have been clear throughout that any emergency care - or other care urgently needed by patients - will be provided. We are undertaking this action with extreme reluctance. Doctor Sarah Wollaston, Tory MP for Totnes and former GP, said that many doctors had contacted her telling her they were unhappy with the action. She said: "Any group of people faced with the prospect of paying more towards their pensions and working longer would be upset about that but as time has gone by, doctors have found that the public are not sympathetic to this because doctors' pensions are far better than most of their patients. It is very clear that there is no room for negation on this. The idea that this is a victimless strike is incorrect. Most doctors, when it comes down to the day, will be putting their patients first. Just talking to GPs I know, many of them are telling me that they are planning to work but might put a notice of support or something in the window. How has the doctors' strike affected you? Has your appointment been cancelled? Send us your stories: mynews@telegraph.co.uk