Senior doctors walk off the job
A large group of senior doctors lined up at Hagley Park in Christchurch today holding up bright red placards bearing the slogan “Invest in our health”.
Their counterparts in Invercargill did the same, though fewer in number due to the smaller Southland Hospital they serve.
In Auckland, several hundred doctors gathered in protest just down the road from Auckland City Hospital.
“Isn’t it sad that we’re here today?” Christchurch emergency medicine specialist Dominic Fleischer said. “That for the first time ever senior doctors have gone on strike which has never happened before.”
“Today this hospital will have hundreds of doctors for several hours donning down their tools because we want a better health system.”
Auckland anaesthetist Rebecca de Souza said it took 16 years to become a fully qualified specialist. The highly trained doctor was among many who didn’t take today’s strike action lightly.
“For me I’m really concerned about the health care system in New Zealand. It really worries me that doctors are leaving for better pay, better conditions in Australia.
“We’re often having to cancel lists. We’re often not able to do our jobs properly and something’s got to change.”
The two-hour strike was one of three planned over the next three weeks if ongoing pay negotiations with Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ are not resolved.
The health entity is disappointed a revised offer last Friday was not accepted and said it’s unable to increase the offer.
However, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) said Te Whatu Ora has rejected an adjustment aligned to the Consumer Price Index. The ASMS said this means doctors have effectively had pay cut in real terms.
Te Whatu Ora said it remains committed to reaching a settlement with ASMS, with both sides returning to negotiations tomorrow.
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