Jeremy Hunt has been accused of ignoring the concerns of medical professionals throughout his long row with junior doctors, which reached a peak today as he vowed to impose a contract on them despite strong union objections.

And the breakdown in communication has been highlighted by a video showing the Health Secretary blanking an NHS worker following him down a corridor in Westminster.

The incident happened as Mr Hunt walked into the TV studios at Millbank when he was spotted by a Kings College Hospital registrar.

Dr Dagan Lonsdale entered the building alongside the politician, raising with him in measured terms “the concerns we have about patient safety”.

Not put off by Mr Hunt’s brief attempt to explain that he was “just on his way to do an interview”, Dr Lonsdale told him he was “taking a massive gamble with people in the NHS”, and that he has “absolutely no evidence whatsoever that these changes will have a positive effect”.

Mr Hunt then simply ignored Dr Lonsdale as he followed him down the corridor, asking "why won't you sit down to talk to junior doctors - what if you've got this one wrong?"

Speaking to Sky News afterwards, Dr Lonsdale said Mr Hunt was "too scared to come and talk to junior doctors".

"Why is that?" he asked.

In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London

The new terms of employment under dispute would re-define anti-social hours, making it cheaper for hospitals to roster doctors on weekends and evenings.

Doctors have been on strike over the contract, which the British Medical Association says is “putting politics before common sense”.