Junior doctors threaten to strike

JUNIOR doctors are threatening to go on strike in protest at being included on senior staff work rosters.

Trainee doctors at Waterford Regional Hospital and Tralee General Hospital will strike next Wednesday and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has warned other hospitals may follow suit.

Waterford Regional Hospital will close to all admissions except emergencies from next Wednesday.

More hospital closures will follow if other hospitals try to roster trainee doctors as senior staff, the Irish Medical Organisation has warned.

The 62 junior doctors in Waterford are annoyed over new rostering arrangements which they say will isolate them on the frontline. Trainee nurses will also take to the picket line in a separate row over meal allowances.

The double action will close the hospital and all elective surgery will have to be cancelled if the dispute is not resolved.

Industrial relations officer, Paul Connolly, said a work-to-rule had been considered but doctors have been pushed into all-out strike given the seriousness of the situation.

We did not want to call a strike. But rostering will have a negative impact on the service. It would mean fewer doctors available, longer waiting lists and would have an obvious impact on patient care given that these doctors are still training," Mr Connolly said.

The South Eastern Health Board said an agreement was reached in 2000 between the Health Service Employers' Agency and the IMO, part of which was to move towards meeting the EU directive which stipulates that by 2004, the average hours worked by Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) will be 58 hours per week.

The re-arranging of rosters and recruitment of additional staff were to meet this directive laid down in the NCHD agreement. However, the SEHB is advised the IMO have difficulties with this and hopes this matter can be resolved," a board spokesperson said.