SENIOR DOCTORS HOLD STOPWORK MEETINGS
PSI-AP Bulletin on Health & Social Services (June 2007)
http://www.world-psi.org/Content/ContentGroups/English7/Publications1/Asia_Pacific_Health_and_Social_Services_Bulletin/PSI_AP_Health_Social_Service_Bulletin_June07.doc
For the first time ever, senior doctors around the country will be holding stopwork meetings after a year of unsuccessful negotiations over pay and conditions. Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Ian Powell says the issue needs resolving. “Our hospital system is creaking at the seams because of problems over recruiting and retaining senior doctors who are crucial to providing these services,” says Ian Powell. He says there is fierce international competition for senior doctors and we have to be competitive. At a bare minimum New Zealand salaries are currently about A$30,000 behind Australia for a first year specialist increasing to a bare minimum of A$50,000 after seven years. “Senior doctors are seeing Australia as an increasingly attractive place.” Ian Powell says ASMS, the senior doctors’ union, has tried to work through the issues responsibly with the District Health Boards (DHBs). The 26 stopwork meetings around the country will give members the opportunity to discuss the next step. “The negotiations have been very difficult and for the first time ever we have seen the need to hold stopwork meetings to discuss where to go from here. We have taken this decision very reluctantly but it is the only action left to us.”
New Zealand PSA concerned review will undermine essential health support
PSI-AP News (Feb 2009)
http://www.world-psi.org/Content/ContentGroups/English7/Publications1/Asia_Pacific_News/AP_News_February_2009.pdf
The Public Service Asociation is concerned that the Ministerial Group established to review health spending will unfairly target staff providing essential support for nurses, doctors and other clinical specialists in our hospitals. “Front line hospital staff can’t do their job without their administrative and clerical staff,” says PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott. “These workers do the vital support work that enables doctors, nurses, anaesthetictechnicians and other medical staff to focus on treating patients.”
“It will not improve the service for patients if we target these workers and make cuts that undermine their ability to do essential support work for medical staff in hospitals,” says Brenda Pilott. She says Health Minister Tony Ryall has made extravagant claims about there being too much bureaucracy and wasteful spending in health. “But he hasn’t mentioned that we’re spending $12.2 billion a year on our health services and that less than 2% of that is spent by the Ministry of Health administering the use of that money by our health service and planning for our future health needs,” says Brenda Pilott. She says the PSA is also concerned that the Ministerial Group announced by Tony Ryall lacks a workers’ voice.
“We’re disappointed that despite promising to be inclusive the government has not included anyone to represent staff working in public hospitals or at the Ministry,” says Brenda Pilott. “It’s vital that the people on the MinisterialGroup take on board the views of those doing the hands-on work in our hospitals and at the Ministry.” “And the government needs to ensure that it includes a workers’ voice when it establishes its other Ministerial Groups toreview government spending,” says Brenda Pilott.