Waiting lists have bulged and pregnant women are being sent outside Wairarapa as radiographers fight for better pay and conditions at Wairarapa DHB.
Medical radiation technicians (MRTs) with the APEX union - nine of Wairarapa's 13 staff - have issued strike notices and have not worked overtime for the last three
months.
Wairarapa DHB is now untangling the backlogs after the union, which represents 1000 MRTs across the country, called off industrial action last week as part of negotiations with District Health Boards New Zealand.
The industrial action had taken its toll on Wairarapa's services and Robyn Brady, manager of service improvement and clinical support, said the waiting list for ultrasound scans had stretched to 300.
She said on average 30 pregnant woman have instead had to travel to Palmerston North or the Hutt for scanning each month.
But Ms Brady said the long waiting list was aggravated by the fact Wairarapa had only one sonographer.
"We have been actively recruiting for some time but there is an acknowledged sonographer shortage in New Zealand. This is a workforce issue."
Industrial action had also affected general patients - each weekend about four couldn't go home because they hadn't been given radiology clearance.
This led to backlogs on Monday, leaving 38 patients waiting for imaging, compared to about 28 before the industrial action.
Because of the union's "work to rule" - meaning MRTs would not work overtime and take all entitled breaks - patients who came to the Emergency Department during after-hours were treated but asked to return again during working hours for imaging.
As part of an agreement MRTs promised they would step in during life-threatening situations regardless of the industrial dispute - Wairarapa's union MRTs offered life-preserving support to 68 patients in these instances.
APEX spokeswoman Bernadette Gourley said the union had called off the industrial action on Tuesday and a formal offer was made on Wednesday but she could not rule out the possibility of further industrial action if technicians rejected the deal.
