Elective surgery and outpatient clinics postponed as Rotorua and Taupō nurses strike

The Emergency Department at Rotorua Hospital will remain open for emergencies during the strike.

Rotorua and Taupō hospitals have postponed all elective surgery and outpatient clinics for Thursday as New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) members go on strike.

Nurses have voted to reject the latest proposed District Health Board Nursing and Midwifery Multi-Employer Collective Agreement (MECA) offer and take industrial action.

The nationwide strike, involving up to 30,000 NZNO members, starts at 7am on Thursdayand finishes at 7am on Friday.

Lakes DHB communications officer Sue Wilkie said 19 patients who were to be having scheduled or elective procedures on Thursday had been postponed.

"This is to be certain we don't add to the already high numbers of people admitted to hospital."

This is in line with trying to reduce inpatient numbers in the days leading up to the strike.

"We would normally have seen around 260 people for their outpatient appointments, across a range of disciplines. The affected patients have all been rescheduled."

She said the only clinics operating would be for urgent antenatal presentations and urgent fracture patients.

DHB staff had been meeting regularly to plan for the smooth continuation of essential clinical services during the 24-hour strike.

Contingency planning incident controller Gary Lees said the needs of patients were foremost in the contingency planning, and any decisions on limiting, changing or re-arranging some clinical services were to ensure that patients would be protected from harm.

"The planning includes accessing and preparing staff to be able to manage the range of services which will continue at Rotorua and Taupō hospitals during the strike day. All non-essential clinical services will be closed for the day."

Lakes DHB employs some 672 nurses spread over 456 positions and 70 healthcare assistants for 29 positions. The DHB employs 54 midwives for 30 full-time equivalent positions.

"Because the nursing workforce is such a large one, Lakes DHB is taking all reasonable steps to reduce demand, however, both Rotorua and Taupō hospitals are quite full, with lots of high acuity patients who are very unwell," Lees said.

"Our Emergency Departments at Rotorua and Taupō hospitals will remain open for emergencies. People are being advised to avoid coming to the ED if they have a minor health issue – they should be visiting their family doctor/community emergency clinics, or contacting the telephone health service, Healthline 0800 611 116."

Healthline is a 24 hour a day, seven day a week service with trained registered nurses able to assess and advise over the phone.

An advertisement from the Lakes District Health Board placed in the Rotorua Daily Post print edition warns that people may have to wait longer for services during the strike.

The advertisement also said: "If you have a family member in hospital on strike day, we may need your help to provide comfort and support to your family member."

The latest pay offer, the fourth presented to the New Zealand Nurses' Organisation members, saw nurses given at least a 9.5 per cent pay rise over the next year while $38 million of new funding was offered to allow district health boards to hire extra staff.

Nurses haven't gone on strike in New Zealand for 30 years.