KEY POINTS:
Women about to give birth in some places in New Zealand during this week's junior doctors strike could find themselves sent to hospitals elsewhere.
More than 2000 house surgeons and registrars will strike from 7am tomorrow to 7am on Thursday.
There was no movement in the stalemate between the district health boards (DHBs) and doctors yesterday and barring a breakthrough today, the strike was expected to go ahead.
DHBs' contingency planner Anne Aitcheson told NZPA that if a hospital did not have staff available for baby delivery the mother would be transferred to a larger hospital which had the facilities.
Christchurch Women's and Ashburton Hospitals, for example, are the only Canterbury hospitals that will accept women in labour during the strike.
Birthing units at Lincoln, Burwood and Rangiora will remain open but only for post-natal care.
Ms Aitcheson said if a mother was in the process of giving birth both she and her child would be taken to a larger hospital after delivery.
"We make sure mum's in the right place at the right time."
She said there were not many hospitals that did not have the neo-natal facilities.
The plan was to have any mothers caught by the industrial action close to larger hospitals before the birth.
"Some cases are predictable so we would always like to do things in advance where possible."
But no mother would be turned away from any hospital if she was in the process of giving birth, Ms Aitcheson said.
"We do have arrangements in place to manage all kinds of situations."
A spokeswoman for Capital and Coast DHB said there would be no change during the strike and the board's three maternity units, Kapiti Health Centre, Kenepuru and Wellington, would be open as usual.
In Auckland the three DHBs said their hospitals and community maternity units would continue to accept women in labour.
DHBs were urging patients to see their general practitioner or call Healthline if their problem was not urgent over the next two days.
Health Minister David Cunliffe has criticised the junior doctors' union, saying more than 8000 people would be affected, and that the doctors' claims for a 30 per cent pay increase over the next three years were out of line.
The Resident Doctors Association (NZRDA) general secretary Deborah Powell said since members chose to take strike action more than 300 resident doctors had joined the union, taking the number to 2400.
"Existing and new members of NZRDA realise the value in taking collective action to resolve this crisis.
"Junior doctors recognise that a united front is the only way to get the message through to DHBs. We welcome their decision to join with their fellow colleagues."
- NZPA
