Doctors’ strike puts spotlight on patient suffering and understaffing

Whangārei home caregiver Sharon Clements was among those showing unity for better health services, in addition to the nationwide strike by Association of Salaried Medical Specialists senior doctors. Photo / Denise Piper

Public hospital doctors on strike today say the suffering of their patients is top of mind.

Several hundred Whangārei Hospital senior doctors, and smaller numbers at Northland’s other hospitals, joined a nationwide strike by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists.

Whangārei Hospital emergency doctor and delegate Dr Gary Payinda said doctors are striking, first and foremost, because they are concerned about the way their patients are being treated.

“Right now, there are 200,000 people waiting to see one of these doctors – the public hospital medical specialists – and tens of thousands are waiting for surgery; it all comes first because they are suffering.”

Payinda said the strike was about making a statement against understaffing and cuts to essential public services.

It also highlights problems with the system, such as public hospitals’ roofs repeatedly leaky after heavy rain, he said.

“There’s a GP crisis and a hospital crisis, and the rhetoric of the Government far too often is just to deny the problem and refuse to implement the solution."

He believed fairer wages for doctors and safer staffing levels in hospitals were needed. He rubbished Government claims that neither was affordable, pointing to the tax cuts given to landlords and higher wage earners.

Health Minister Simeon Brown has expressed disappointment with the union, saying the strike will hurt patients.

But Payinda said the support from the public has been “overwhelming”.

“They understand that, despite what Simeon says, public doctors who have chosen to remain in the system, we’re not the ones hurting their wellbeing.”

Public action by those striking included pickets outside Whangārei and Kaitāia Hospitals.

In Whangārei, the doctors were boosted by a combined union rally at Tarewa Park, led by the Council of Trade Unions.

About 50 union members said they supported safe staffing and stopping health cuts, along with more general workers’ rights: better deals for working people, recognition of workers’ rights to organise, recognising kaimahi Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and pay equity.

Health NZ said some appointments affected by the strike will need to be rescheduled, but all hospitals remained open on Thursday and emergency care was available.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.