Strike a last resort, says doctors' union

Vice president of the Resident Doctors' Assocation Dr Helen Saywell said this week's 73-hour strike was a sad but necessary measure junior doctors have to take. Photo/Paul Taylor

More than 100 resident doctors at Hawke's Bay Hospital will take part in a nationwide 73 hour-long strike this week after ongoing roster negotiations fell through again.

The three-day strike, scheduled to commence today, is a measure being taken by the New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association to lobby for decreased working hours. It follows a 48-hour strike held in October last year.

New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association vice president Dr Helen Saywell said the strike is a "last resort" the union is reluctant but prepared to take to ensure resident doctors can provide the best care for their patients.

"It's about being able to work more safely without making mistakes ... we want to do a good job and do the best for our patients," she said.

Dr Saywell said the fatigue induced by current contractual working hours are a significant issue for many doctors across the country who may be required to work a maximum of 12 consecutive days or seven consecutive nights.

"It's all about safeguarding the doctors. We did a nationwide survey last year and people are put in really dangerous situations, whether it be driving home or treating patients," she said.

However District Health Board shared services spokesman Mick Prior said that DHBs had agreed to this particular term, reducing the maximum amount of days and nights down to 10 consecutive days and 4 consecutive nights, during negotiations last September.

"We offered that to them in September, the outstanding issue is that the union wants to dictate when their days off are; 24/7 health services don't work like that," he said.

Mr Prior said the ongoing negotiations are now about "lifestyle and pay" with resident doctors wanting to have their days off attached to weekends for longer breaks.

As a member of the union's bargaining team Dr Saywell said throughout weekly meetings in Auckland she hasn't seen a single chief executive, with the DHBs sending people with no authority to negotiate or bargain to meet with the union.

While Mr Prior confirmed that chief executives had not attended the negotiations, he said this was normal practice; a total of 22 Multi-Employer Collective Agreements were recently settled without the presence of a chief executive.

To the merit of Hawke's Bay Hospital Dr Saywell did mention that it had already begun taking steps towards improving working hours.

"In Hawke's Bay we've had some really good work and good changes made locally. I think we have done some really good things ... but there's still more to do," she said.

Despite these "inches" of progress being made, Dr Saywell said protecting doctors shouldn't just rely on goodwill; rather it should be a mandatory requirement of all District Health Boards.

Dr Saywell said the union balloted resident doctors last week as to whether they should strike again and the resounding answer was yes.

Currently working as a paediatric registrar at Hawke's Bay's Hospital, Dr Saywell said she was well aware of the consequences of striking, but said it's a cause worth lobbying for.

"It's the impact of the strike versus the impact of leaving things as they are," she said.

"I don't know how it's come to this."

The junior doctors involved in the strike will range from new graduates to doctors who are almost ready to enter their speciality.

If unsuccessful, Dr Saywell said it would only result in more action from the Resident Doctors' Association.