ZB ZB
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

Resident doctors to go on three day strike

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff ,
Publish Date
Mon, 16 Jan 2017, 6:43PM
(NZ Herald).

Resident doctors to go on three day strike

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff ,
Publish Date
Mon, 16 Jan 2017, 6:43PM

The Union representing resident doctors said they've been left no choice but to go on a three day strike from tomorrow.

LISTEN ABOVE: Chris Lynch talks to the National Secretary of the New Zealand resident Doctors association, Doctor Deborah Powell.

Spokeswoman Dr Deborah Powell said they are under pressure to settle negotiations on pay and conditions, because their contract will cease to exist at the end of next month.

"We've reached what we thought was an agreement at the table twice before, only to have the CEO say 'no, no not a deal, too bad' so, without an actual offer from the employers and without an agreement at the table we had to proceed with the strike."

Hawke's Bay hospital is one of the many participating in the three day strike, with hundreds of people having to postpone medical appointments and surgeries. 

Almost all of the 128 junior doctors at Hawke's Bay Hospital are members of the Resident Doctors Association.

Hawke's Bay's chief medical officer, Dr John Gommans said services have been severely impacted.

"We've had to re-schedule over 400 out patient clinics and we've had to postpone over 30 people's operations."

Dr Gommans is urging people to only come to the Emergency Department during the next three days for emergencies.

Junior doctors at 18 of the country's 20 DHBs begin a 73 hour strike at 7am tomorrow.

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you