The protest began in the city center and ended near the prime minister's residence. Participants carried placards and chanted slogans, demanding decent wages and better working conditions.
"Our NHS is being sliced up, diced up, carved up and sold off to anyone who wants to try and take it over," said Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the Labor Party, who also attended the rally.
The rally came ahead of a scheduled three-day strike by nearly 40,000 junior doctors, amid record wait times for operations, A&E care, 999 call-outs, and GP and dentist appointments.
The protest was organized by the SOS NHS coalition, and speakers at the march included the British Medical Association’s council chair, cross-party MPs, and leaders of trade unions Unite, Unison and GMB. Dr Tony O’Sullivan, founder of the coalition, said, "There is a tragedy unfolding before our very eyes. 500 avoidable deaths every week on the NHS emergency pathway. The government is 100% to blame."
The Health Secretary has invited junior doctors for pay talks in an attempt to avert strikes next week, but discussions with unions representing ambulance workers, physiotherapists, nurses and midwives have not involved junior doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA).