Day two and Rotorua Hospital is coping well with the junior doctors' stirke. PHOTO/FILE
Day two and Rotorua Hospital is coping well with the junior doctors' stirke. PHOTO/FILE
Rotorua and Taupo hospitals are coping well midway through strike action by junior doctors - with "significantly lower" numbers of people turning up at the emergency department.
Lakes District Health Board chief operating officer Nick Saville-Wood said significant planning had paid off with robust plans and process in place tomake sure patients who needed emergency care received it.
He said the lower number of people turning up to the emergency department in the first 24 hours of the strike indicated people were generally adhering to the hospital's request to keep the emergency department for emergencies only.
"However we are still seeing some lower acuity patients that could otherwise have been managed in primary care.
"We had 63 emergency department presentations on Tuesday, compared with a daily average of approximately 93 presentations per day last year."
He said while it was too early to know average waiting times during the strike anecdotally the majority of patients were being seen, treated and either discharged or admitted within the six hour target.
Mr Saville-Wood said rescheduling of elective procedures had helped reduce inpatient numbers and the hospital was at 78 per cent occupancy.
The strike forced the postponement of 65 elective surgeries and 242 outpatient clinics.
Of those outpatients, 75 will have a new date in January, 163 in February and four will be seen in March due to patient preference, Mr Saville-Wood said.
"All elective surgical patients affected by the strike have been contacted and provided with a revised surgery/procedure date before the end of February."
However Mr Saville-Wood said 14 patients had their procedure date brought forward to before the strike because of the action.
Of the 81 junior doctors, nearly two thirds were striking.
Mr Saville-Wood said it was too early to say how much the strike was expected to cost.
The strike: - Junior doctors back at work 8am tomorrow - 65 elective surgeries and 242 outpatient clinic appointments at Rotorua and Taupo hospitals have been rescheduled because of the strike - Essential services including acute surgery, emergency department care, intensive care and maternity care are continuing - Those uncertain about their appointments or procedures can call 0800 223 647
