A GREAT Western Hospital patient is showing his support for junior medics, ahead of the first of three planned strikes next week.

Tony Collins, from Pinehurst is currently in hospital recovering from an operation on his foot - but hasn't let that prevent him backing junior medics in a unique way.

On Tuesday, the 53-year-old, who is an amputee and diabetic, will don a customised t-shirt which reads “I support junior doctors, more money, less hours.”

“On the day I will be showing my support by wearing this t-shirt and campaigning with them," Tony said.

"I may be in a hospital bed but I can still show my support for all the doctors and the hard work they put in.

“As soon as I heard they were striking I knew had to do something. I wanted to get a customised shirt so that everyone would see where my support lies."

The father-of-four has lent his support to the 256 junior doctors employed by the hospital praising their “fantastic” work during his numerous stays in hospital.

Tony has been a regular patient at the GWH, formerly Princess Margaret Hospital, since his childhood.

In 2001, Tony entered the Guinness Book of World Records after he spent  a mammoth 78 hours on a hospital trolley at the hospital. Despite this, his support for junior doctors at the hospital remains undimmed.

He said he has been consistently impressed with the level of care provided by junior medics.

“I’ve been in hospital for three weeks and I have been shown nothing but genuine care and support here. I want to back the doctors, I respect what they are fighting for," he said.

“Every time I have been admitted the level of comfort and care provided has been second to none,” he said.

“Doctors work incredibly long hours and then to be expected to work long weekend hours is disgraceful. We should be valuing them not working them to the bone.

“I’m a big Swindon Town fan but doctors should get paid the same amount as footballers, these people are just kicking a football around the pitch, doctors are saving lives."

A 24-hour walk-out next Tuesday will be followed by a 48-hour strike on 26 January, and a third day in February in the contract dispute.

More than one hundred doctors will walk out en-masse from the hospital in protest at the Department of Health’s proposed pay cuts and increased working hours.

Great Western Hospital, will see an acute loss of its workforce with scheduled procedures such as hip replacements, knee operations and routine clinics set to encounter interruption and delays.

The news comes little over a month since planned industrial action was cancelled following the British Medical Association’s decision to re-enter negotiations with the government.

Dr Julia Barr, who works at Great Western Hospital, said junior doctors were grateful for all the support they had received.

“It’s really sweet that people will support us. We do get people who are brave enough to come forward and show their support and it means the world to all of us,” she said,

“It’s overwhelming to get that level of support from patients and we are thankful for all the support we receive.”

Julia will lead a group of 40 junior doctors in a picket line outside the hospital on Tuesday before a Meet The Doctors event in the town centre.