Senior doctors to discuss industrial action

Media release

Senior doctors to discuss industrial action

Tomorrow, in the first of a series of national stopwork meetings, senior doctors will discuss the potential of industrial action.

In an unprecedented move, senior doctors around the country will stop work to discuss how to resolve the issues surrounding the unsuccessful year-long negotiations.

The first meeting being held tomorrow (Tuesday July 17) involves senior doctors working in the Waitemata DHB, while the final stopwork meetings are on August 9 involving senior doctors at Lakes and Bay of Plenty DHBs.

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Ian Powell says one of the resolutions members will vote on is whether to give the National Executive the authority to conduct a postal ballot of members on taking lawful industrial action.

Ian Powell says senior doctors are disappointed that they have been forced to take any action at all. In doing so patient safety has always been a priority, and if further industrial action is taken emergency and acute medical care would not be affected.

"This is not action that our members would take lightly. Doctors want to be working and caring for their patients, however it is vital these negotiations are resolved as the quality of patient care is in danger of being compromised."

Ian Powell says the public health system is under huge pressure due to major problems recruiting and retaining senior doctors, who provide essential services to our hospital.

"You only have to look at the conditions being offered by other countries such as Australia, and its no surprise that our doctors are leaving New Zealand. We have a chronic shortage already and we can't afford for it to get worse."

Other resolutions being voted on include:

* The rejection of the DHB's proposal from July 5.

* The condemnation of the DHBs failure to negotiate genuinely and its failure to reach a national collective agreement that addresses New Zealand's vulnerability and retaining its medical workforce.

ENDS

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