Senior doctors and dentists are apologising to people who'll miss out on care - during doctor strikes next month

Te Whatu Ora says the first 12-hour action will disrupt planned care for 500 patients, and the second lasting 24 hours will defer care for up to 1700 patients.

But the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director, Sarah Dalton, says many others are affected every day.

She says they're also sorry Te Whatu Ora isn't more up front about people who miss out on procedures every day because of the under-resourced, under-staffed health system.