Senior Doctors Need Compensation For Onerous Roste

ATTENTION: HEALTH/INDUSTRIAL REPORTER NO. OF PAGES: 1

MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER 2001

“Senior Doctors Need Compensation For Onerous Rosters”

“Senior doctors in public hospitals need better compensation for the stressful work they are required to work on onerous after-hours call rosters,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell was commenting on the feature article in the latest issue of the Association’s quarterly publication, The Specialist, backgrounding developments in district health boards.

“Working on after-hours call rosters dealing with emergencies is highly stressful, dangerous and anti-social. If senior doctors had a choice they would prefer not to work them. But the public justifiably requires a 24-hour 7-day service and therefore senior doctors do not have the luxury of choice.”

“Because most senior doctors have to work these dreadful hours they deserve better remuneration for them. Some district health boards recognise this but too many others do not. It is time for those who don’t to start acting like good responsible employers.”

“Those district health boards that continue to underpay for this onerous work will find that their current recruitment and retention problems will further worsen,” concluded Mr Powell.

Ian Powell

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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