Chief medical officer John Tait says the strike will see junior doctors – Registered Medical Officers – withdraw their services from 18 DHBs for a period of 73 hours.
“While we are doing everything we can to minimise the effect on our patients, the staffing gaps the strike will create mean that some impact is inevitable,” he said.
“As we need to prioritise essential and acute services over others, we have had to defer around 570 outpatient appointments as well as elective surgeries. We are still finalising our surgery lists based on anticipated rosters, and are not able to give the number of elective surgeries that have been postponed.”
The emergency department (ED) at Wellington Regional Hospital will remain open throughout the strike.
“We ask people to remember that the ED is for emergencies only. People with non-urgent injuries or illnesses will experience longer waiting times and should visit their GP in the first instance.”
Patients uncertain about their appointment or surgery can call 0508 4 CCDHB (0508 4 22342). Anyone unsure about whether they need ED care should contact their GP or call Healthline (0800 611 116) for free advice from a registered nurse.
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Media contact: Chas Te Runa – 027 230 9571
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