Doctors say working up to 12 days or seven nights consecutively is unsafe for them and their patients. Photo / 123RF
Up to 30 West Coast patients won't get scheduled surgery or outpatient consultations next week as a result of the junior doctors' strike.
"We are contacting up to 30 patients whose surgery or outpatient appointment may have to be postponed due to the planned industrial action next week," said West
Coast District Health Board (DHB) operations manager, Grey Base Hospital, Hamish Brown.
"Our focus is on providing safe care for those whose treatment is urgent, and ensuring we have staff for 24/7 emergency care.
"Anyone whose outpatient appointment or surgery/procedure has to be postponed will be re-booked to the next available time."
The DHB employs nine junior doctors. They're planning to strike for 48 hours between 7am Tuesday October 18 and 7am Thursday October 20, as part of nationwide action seeking safer working rosters.
