10 July 2018

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants have voted to strike from 7am Thursday 12 July until 7am Friday 13 July. This will impact services at all West Coast DHB facilities including some General Practices and community care.

Our priority is to ensure we maintain safe patient care and minimise disruption for hospital inpatients and those receiving care in their own homes during the strike period.

As part of its contingency plans West Coast DHB has contacted patients whose outpatient appointment or surgery has had to be postponed. Patients whose appointments and procedures are being deferred will be contacted directly by phone.

Importantly, our hospital and health centres throughout the Coast will remain open and continue to provide essential and urgent services including emergency care and acute surgery and maternity care. Our wards will remain open but with reduced capacity. If you have a family member who will be in hospital on the day of the strike, you are welcome to spend more time with them than you usually would

Remember if you need health care advice, make your general practice team your first port of call for care around the clock.

After-hours you can phone Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free health advice. A nurse will advise on what to do and where to go if it’s urgent and you need to be seen by a doctor.

In an emergency, you should still phone 111. On the Coast our most rural areas have Rural Nurse Specialists on call to respond to emergencies.

Chief executive David Meates says West Coast DHB regrets having to defer outpatient appointments and surgery. “We appreciate how disruptive this it to those affected. Please be assured our staff are trying to rebook patients as quickly as possible.

“I would also like to thank everyone who has been working on our contingency planning for their work to date preparing for this strike and to everyone involved in ensuring that essential health services will remain available during the strike.”

If patients need to check on their appointment, they can call the Central Booking Unit on (03) 769-7400, extension 2901. If possible, quote the NHI number which is usually in the upper right hand corner of the letter.

ENDS

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