Doctors Urged To Consider Arbitration

2 AUGUST 2007

Doctors Urged To Consider Arbitration

“Health Cuts Hurt wants Canterbury Senior Doctors to seriously consider moving their industrial dispute into an arbitration forum when they attend a stop work meeting to discuss the offer from the Boards today,” Chairperson of patient lobby group, Health Cuts Hurt, Eleanor Carter said today.

“Our group acknowledges there is a balance required between the rights of patients and those of health workers such as Doctors, but given the potential impact of a full strike of Senior Doctors on patients we urge the Doctors to take a lead and at least seriously consider the arbitration option,” said Eleanor Carter.

“Canterbury people are still trying to deal with the very difficult situation that has emerged recently with our Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department which we believe arose from understaffing and overcrowding,” said Eleanor Carter. “However delivering threats of strikes at this time of analysis and grief risks the loss of support for Senior Doctors in the Canterbury community.”

“Health Cuts Hurt primary concern in this matter is further cuts to patient elective surgery and other services due to lockouts and strikes,” said Eleanor Carter. “We also are concerned at the apparent lack of Government intervention to settle the dispute.”

“Final offer arbitration as suggested by the Boards is not the only form of arbitration,” said Eleanor Carter. “The form used by the teachers in 2002 allowed the independent panel to come up with a compromise solution. It may be that such an approach would work here. We urge Doctors to at least try such an approach.”

ENDS

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