CDHB Should Have Acute Records Agreement
“NUPE delegates have strongly criticised the Canterbury District Health Board for not seeking a Life Preserving Services
Agreement with NUPE acute desk staff in Clinical Records prior to the five day strike at Canterbury District Health
Board’s (CDHB) Hospitals,” said Martin Cooney, organiser with the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE).
He was commenting after a delegates’ meeting which continued the strike action for another day. “The day’s action will
include a picket outside CDHB HQ (Luney House) at 11am when the Health Advisory Committee will be meeting and a march to
Labour Party HQ (Tim Barnett’s office) at 12 noon.”
Martin Cooney said the striking NUPE members include most of the clinical records staff in the CDHB. “Before the strike
began the Board acknowledged and identified the acute desk clinical records staff as providing a life preserving
service. However they then withdrew the request.”
“The Hospital has already admitted that surgery is being delayed because of delays with medical records,” said Martin
Cooney. “Equally worrying is the impact on the acute desk (for Emergency Department records) when replacement staff are
Change Project Team members and former managers who do not know the new system.”
“Running the acute desk for the Emergency Department in this way is playing Russian Roulette with patient’s lives,” said
Martin Cooney. “And to have the Board pretending that all is well with services is straight out misinformation.”
“There had been significant problems finding and delivering patient files before the strike started due to the
introduction of a controversial new system a year ago,” said Martin Cooney.
“Our Union and its members are making it clear that we are not responsible if any life is threatened or even lost due to
mistakes made or files not being available during the strike. NUPE offered to discuss life preserving services.”