MEDIA RELEASE – For immediate release
Wednesday 12 October 2016
Hauora Tairāwhiti
www.tdh.org.nz

Services reduced at Gisborne Hospital for strike

Hauora Tairāwhiti is rescheduling most non-urgent services provided at Gisborne Hospital from Monday 17 October to cope with strike action by the Resident doctors, said Jim Green, Chief Executive Hauora Tairāwhiti.

A strike notice has been received by Hauora Tairāwhiti and all other DHBs from the Resident Doctors Association that its members will strike for 48 hours from 7am Tuesday 18 October till 7am Thursday 20 October.

“We will focus on urgent services to ensure care is safe during the strike,” Mr Green said.

“Preparations have begun to ensure that urgent and emergency services are not affected. Some services, such as major elective surgery, will stop from Friday 14 October to ensure the number of patients in the hospital when the strike begins is as low as possible. People who are booked to have surgery, or who have an appointment to see a specialist on these days will be notified and an alternative date given. Our number one consideration is patient safety,” Mr Green said.

“We will call all (approximately 200) people affected, then send a letter with the rescheduled time. Members of the public wanting information about their appointment can telephone 0800 800 620.”

“It is even more important during the strike that the Emergency Department is kept for emergencies only. People who need to see a doctor should first contact their GP or ring Healthline on 0800 311 116 — it's free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

People who need urgent treatment from a tertiary hospital will still be transferred to Waikato Hospital or an alternative.

Surgery rescheduled

• No major surgery from Friday 14 – Thursday 20 October
• No elective surgery Monday 17 - Wednesday 19 October
o Except endoscopy on Monday 17 October

Cancelled Clinics
Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 October we will cancel and reschedule:

o Tui te Ora (Long Term Conditions) Clinics
o All Outpatients Clinics
o Stress Echo Clinics
o Paediatric Clinics

Services which will remain open are:

• Emergency Department
• ICU/CCU
• All Inpatient wards
• Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic
• Urgent Medical Clinic
• Urgent Surgical Clinic
• 2 of 4 Operating Theatres
• Radiology
• Tlab
• Mental Health
• Oncology
• Dialysis Unit
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinics

ENDS

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