DHB asks army for help as hospitals prepare for strike

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board (DHB) has asked the army to provide help and x-ray equipment during a strike by radiographers next week.

The request was made as hospitals throughout the country warned patients to expect major disruptions during the strike.

Seven district health boards will be affected by the three-day strike, which starts at 7am on Tuesday.

Medical specialists are bracing themselves for the disruptions as a huge section of patient care depended on information from X-rays and CT, MRI and ultrasound scans.

Only those with life-threatening problems would have access to medical imaging.

Bay of Plenty DHB head of emergency planning Andrew Keenan said all avenues were being explored to ensure patients received the best care possible.

Mr Keenan told National Radio today a Bay of Plenty territorial force had been approached as the DHB put together their plan for coping with the strike.

"We knew the army had a strong medical team and our request to them was do they have mobile x-ray teams and could they help us."

The army unit they approached said they did not have the necessary equipment, but the request was one which was needed to be made, he said.

"It is appropriate to ask them to step in."

The DHB was required to negotiate under the life preserving services requirement which meant they had to ensure every opportunity to reduce effect from the strike was made, he said.

While radiographers have said they would come in and carry out emergency work, this was only a small part of the work-load, he said.

"That will account for a small number of patients we see. We see a 5000 to 6000 patients a month that need radiology services so they will need some sort of service and this is one way for us to look at all the options."

Mr Keenan said the DHB would continue to work with other DHBs and other transport providers.

Patients were asked to defer their radiological support until about three days "down the track", he said.

"We have put a lot of work into emergency plans over the past two weeks to ensure there is a safe service for the community."

National's health spokesman, Tony Ryall, said the industrial action would paralyse hospitals and affect thousands of patients.

"This strike will be far worse than the junior doctors strike because there is no one else in the public system to do the radiographers' work," he said.

"It will bring hospitals to their knees in many parts of the country."

Mr Ryall said 80 per cent of patients needed to see a radiographer.

- NZPA