• Senior doctors at Gisborne Hospital will strike for another 24 hours on Wednesday.
• They cite the level of vacancies and describe the hospital as “on the brink of collapse”.
• Health NZ described the strike action as “extremely concerning” and believes it goes against expectations of good faith bargaining.

Senior doctors at Gisborne Hospital will strike for another 24 hours this Wednesday following a march earlier this month for better health funding and worker’s rights.

The region’s senior medical staff had a 24-hour strike on May 1 along with a Fight Back for Healthhīkoi and public meeting, and two strikes for two hours on earlier occasions.

Collectively they have written twice to the Government to express concern about senior doctor vacancies in Tairāwhiti, describing Gisborne Hospital as “being on the brink of collapse”.

Senior doctors and Health NZ are also in the midst of wage negotiations.

Cath Cronin, deputy chief executive at Te Manawa Taki Health New Zealand (HNZ)/ Te Whatu Ora, said it was “extremely concerning” the strike action was being taken while HNZ was in facilitation with the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) to resolve outstanding issues and avoid further disruption to patients.

NZH believed the strike notice went against bargaining in good faith expectations, Cronin said.

“We value our doctors, but we are also concerned about the impacts of strike action on our patients,” she said.

“We believe we have made a fair and reasonable offer given the budget constraints we have and the current economic environment.”

She said HNZ recognised the concerns raised by Tairāwhiti union members around workforce shortages and it was committed to growing its permanent medical workforce.

“In our offer to senior doctors, we offered an allowance of $25,000 for hard-to-recruit districts, including Tairāwhiti, to assist in attracting and retaining senior doctors.”

ASMS industrial officer Jane Lawless said senior doctors at Tairāwhiti were deeply disappointed at the lack of any tangible progress over the issues they raised with the Minister of Health more than nine months ago.

“When Health New Zealand says they are committed to growing their permanent medical workforce, in the last nine months, there has actually been a net loss in the permanent workforce at Tairāwhiti,” Lawless said.

“The failure to implement any concrete solutions leaves the doctors with nowhere to go.

“Our members are concerned by the reference to budget constraints, when it should be obvious to everyone that investment has to be part of the solution.”

Gisborne senior doctors claimed 37% of senior medical officer roles at Gisborne Hospital were vacant in July 2024 and that had increased at the time of their second letter, in March of this year, to 44%.

At the time, Health NZ Te Whatu Ora said the rate was 37% as of February this year.

ASMS communication adviser Matt Shand said the hospital was “held together by the goodwill of doctors”.

“As part of the strike, doctors are using the time to generate donations for the Tairāwhiti Supergrans – a strike for good," Shand said.

“We have already raised $2000 to donate to the cause.”

Cronin said Gisborne Hospital would remain open should the strike action go ahead and other clinical staff, including doctors, will still be available to ensure the continued availability of health services for those who need them.

Lawless said ASMS members would ensure life-preserving services were maintained on the day of the strike.

“Doctors understand the strike will still cause some disruption, but the ongoing situation at Gisborne Hospital results in cancellations, delays and an inability to do follow-up every single day.”