DHBs say strikers shared patient info

File photo / NZH

Some private patient information has been shared by lab workers with their union during their nationwide strike action, a district health boards (DHBs) spokeswoman says.

DHBs pulled out of contract negotiations with the union representing radiographers and laboratory workers after a deadline was missed yesterday.

DHBs representative Karen Roach said the sharing of private patient information was totally inappropriate and some lab workers may lose their jobs.

"Any staff participating in this activity will be suspended... when proven, disciplinary action will be taken and in some cases I believe that could be termination of contract," she told Radio NZ.

Medical Laboratory Workers Union president Stewart Smith said he did not know anything about this.

If the DHBs had such allegations they had not come to the union to talk about it and he was disappointed, he said.

Ms Roach told a media conference today patients were being put at risk and "enough is enough".

The action had moved past low-level industrial action which had not just inconvenienced patients, she said.

"The key thing here is that it (the industrial action) is impacting on patients."

Some of those impacts listed by Auckland DHB included two patients who had their scans deferred who had since presented with inoperable liver cancer.

Others affected included 600 patients waiting for CT services, and 50 patients with renal stones who were awaiting surgery because medical radiation technologists would not operate the image intensifier on the days available.

Bernadette Gourley, spokeswoman for the Association of Professionals and Executive Employees, which represents radiographers, said she could not say whether these figures were true.

"However, the fact that there are people on waiting lists all around New Zealand [is] true.

"The responsibility also lies with the DHBs."

Radiographers have issued nearly 600 strike notices in the past three months after turning down an offer of a pay increase of 1 per cent in April and a further 1 per cent increase this month.

The radiographers' union Apex had asked for backdated pay as well as time in lieu for professional development courses.

- NZPA