27 September 2019

District Health Boards must act urgently to resolve an industrial dispute affecting four separate groups of health professionals in order to prevent planned strikes, says Angela Belich, Acting Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists.

Ms Belich was commenting on the strikes planned by radiographers, sonographers, lab workers and psychologists: (https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/399538/radiographers-sonographers-psychologists-to-walk-off-the-job)

Ms Belich says senior doctors in affected DHBs are calling for an urgent resolution of the industrial dispute.

“Many senior doctors affected by these strikes are at breaking point and desperately hope that DHBs can find a productive way out of this.

“The parties must carefully consider the effects on patients and on the wider hospital workforce. Hospitals are stretched enough now without adding the effects of multiple strikes to the mix,” Ms Belich says.

“We urge the parties to act rationally and seek a fair result, quickly.”

ends

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