Senior doctors in Gisborne and across New Zealand to strike Thursday

Senior doctors at Gisborne Hospital will strike on Thursday as they seek better pay and staffing levels. Photo / Liam Clayton

Senior doctors at the country’s public hospitals, including Gisborne Hospital, will strike on Thursday – the same day New Zealand’s public health unions will stage Fight Back for Health public meetings.

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) has confirmed up to 5500 senior doctors will walk off the job for 24 hours on May 1 after pay negotiations stalled.

The ASMS union sought a 12% pay increase with the health agency but received a Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora offer of between 1 and 1.5%.

ASMS executive director Sarah Dalton said little was being done to address worsening staffing gaps in hospitals.

Shortages at regional hospitals in Gisborne, as well as at Nelson, were at crisis levels, she said.

Dr Carol Chan, Gisborne branch president of ASMS and paediatrician, recently told the Gisborne Herald there was a 44% vacancy rate among senior doctors at Gisborne Hospital.

Dalton said Thursday’s industrial action would be the first 24-hour strike by ASMS.

ASMS communications adviser Andrew Chick told the Gisborne Herald that 86.55% of voters backed the 24-hour strike on May 1.

The official result was 2833 doctors voted for the strike while 477 doctors voted against it.

That is a 55.97% voter turnout through all public hospitals.

Chick said senior doctors would ensure life-preserving services were maintained.

Health New Zealand chief clinical officer Dr Richard Sullivan said he was disappointed.

The strike would cause the cancellation of about 4300 planned procedures, or first specialist appointments, alongside the postponement of thousands of radiology procedures, he said.

A Health NZ statement said hospitals and healthcare services would continue to provide acute and emergency care throughout the strike with the help of other clinical staff.

That included maternity care, intensive care, emergency department care and ambulance services.

Anyone staying in hospital during the strikes would still receive the care and support they needed.

Health NZ would continue to provide all emergency services.

Unfortunately, some appointments would need to be rescheduled. Those who had an appointment booked for the day of the planned strike should go to their appointment, unless contacted directly, to have their appointment rescheduled.

“Health NZ values the hard work and dedication of our staff.

“We remain focused on reaching a settlement with ASMS to avoid any disruption to patients.

Gisborne’s Fight Back for Health Hīkoi will start with health workers walking from Chicking (251 Gladstone Rd) from 11am to Heipipi/Endeavour Park where speakers will talk about what they believe is an under-staffed and underfunded public health system.