Strike Plans in Place

Nelson Hospital medical and surgical emergency services will continue through a planned national strike by junior doctors later this month, but about 40 non-urgent procedures are likely to be postponed.

The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board said it was finalising contingency plans for the April 22-24 strike.

However, the board’s chief medical officer Andre Nel said he hoped district health boards could reach a negotiated settlement with the Resident Doctors Association and avoid any disruption to services.

“In the interest of patient safety we have no option but to have contingency plans in place.”

Nelson Hospital employed 36 resident medical officers, or junior doctors, while Wairau Hospital employed nine.

The union is demanding a 10 percent pay rise every year for the next three years, while health boards have offered four percent over two years.

Health board medical services district manager Lindsay Bates said the board was in discussions with senior doctors today but it was too early to say how it would find enough doctors to cover the shifts.

About 40 elective procedures were expected to be postponed over the two days.

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