Doctors' strike: What's happening around the country

Reports were coming in from around the country today of how hospitals and health boards were coping with the junior doctors' strike.

Canterbury District Health Board
Communications manager Michele Hider said the city's hospitals were coping, with about 300 people having their elective surgery rescheduled and about 3500 outpatient appointments postponed.

He said Christchurch Hospital staff had tried to make the hospital "less busy" in the days leading up to the strike by not accepting people for procedures were they would need a lot of care afterwards.

People with non-urgent illnesses or injuries were being asked not to seek treatment at the hospital's emergency department, but to go to their own GPs.

Capital and Coast Health Board
A spokeswoman said there was only one new case at Wellington hospital before 8.30am this morning, but more cases expected in the afternoon.

Spokesman Michael Tull said all elective surgery at Kenepuru, Hutt and Wellington hospitals had been postponed and outpatient appointments have been cancelled.

"It's still a relatively quite phase of the day in the emergency department.

"But the question will be what happens when it gets to the busy time. We're really strongly encouraging people nationwide to see, if they can, their GP."

Palmerston North hospital
Spokesman Dennis Geddis said that so far, it was business as usual. "Any referrals from doctors will come in around 11am, I'd imagine," he said.

Jeff Brown, president of the Association of Salaried Medical specialists told Radio New Zealand there were extra nurses and a skeleton staff in Palmerston North Hospital.

"It's left to consultants and senior doctors to plug the gaps as much as they can." He said while some doctors felt comfortable filling in various roles, others were "decidedly uncomfortable".

Counties Manukau District Health Board
Spokeswoman Lauren Young said they were surprised and pleased to see some doctors ready for work.

"Some have chosen not to strike, they thought better of it, so we're quite pleased about that."

Ms Young said in the first three hours of the strike the remaining medical staff at Middlemore and Kidz First Children's hospital appeared to be coping well.

"There will have been new admissions this morning but it's chugging along OK."

She was unsure at this stage how many extra juniors have gone against union action.

Auckland District Health Board
Auckland, Green Lane, National Women's, and Starship Children's hospitals -- were reported to be running at 70 per cent patient occupancy.

Health board spokeswoman Fleur Young said juniors had also unexpectedly turned up to work.

She said it was business as usual for the emergency services "We're still busy. For us it's just the non-urgent that aren't being dealt with."