JUNIOR doctors have gathered in Glasgow to protest about changes to pay and working hours being imposed in England.

Several hundred medics met in the city's George Square to show their support for their colleagues south of the border where Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt intends to shake up working conditions.

Dr Malcolm White, a junior doctor currently working in care of the elderly in Glasgow, said he expected only a few dozen members of a social media group campaigning on the issues to express their support.

However, by yesterday evening around 300 had joined the protest with more expected in the hours after, with hundreds more expressing support but unable to attend due to shift patterns.

Although the changes being put forward by Mr Hunt will not affect doctors in Scotland – where Health Secretary Shona Robison has promised to follow a different path – Dr White said many doctors who had graduated from Scottish universities would be affected as well as those who moved south during their careers.

He also described Mr Hunt’s comments about a “Monday to Friday” culture in parts of the NHS as “an incredibly negative campaign to destroy the image of respected doctors in UK society".

He said: "There will be few people here tonight who does not know someone well potentially affected by this. Obviously we're pleased these changes are not proposed for Scotland but it has been overwhelming the numbers who have wanted to turn out to sow solidarity."

The new contract which Westminster wants to introduce next summer extends routine junior doctor working hours, cutting back the enhanced payments they can expect from covering anti-social shifts.

Concerns have been raised that it will increase the likelihood of doctors working excessive hours.

Dr White warned that tired doctors were more likely to make mistakes and the new contract would leave them demoralised too.

Dr Chris Sheridan, chair of the British Medical Association’s Scottish Junior Doctors Committee, said: “While junior doctors in Scotland are not facing the threat of a damaging new contract being imposed unilaterally, there is a lot of anger about the way in which our colleagues south of the border are being treated by the Westminster government.

“Junior doctors in England are being threatened with a new contract that will remove safeguards against doctors working unsafe hours and impose substantial pay cuts for many doctors. It is a deeply unfair approach, which is why doctors in Scotland are so determined to show our colleagues in England that they have our full support at this worrying time.”