Mediation for Resident Doctors’ Dispute

The NZRDA and DHB bargaining teams will return to mediation on Thursday 24^th January in Auckland ahead of the planned 48-hour strike on 29^th and 30^th January, the second period of industrial action by resident doctors this month.

“Any realistic opportunity to resolve this dispute ahead of next week’s strike is something we must pursue,” says NZRDA Senior Advocate David Munro.

“We are very grateful for the growing public support for Resident Doctors to hold on to hard-won safety provisions in their collective agreement,” he continues. “But at the same time we are mindful of the price being paid by patients because of the DHBs’ intransigence.”

If mediation is unsuccessful and next week’s strike goes ahead there is likely to be even greater disruption as doctors who have recently joined the RDA who will now be participating in the second strike.

“Every indicator is towards strengthening determination to win this dispute,” Mr Munro remarks.

“The RMOs are not backing down and the key issues are now well understood by the public. With New Zealanders now returning from the holiday break we expect even more pressure on DHBs to abandon their irresponsible and unreasonable approach.”

Resident Doctors and Senior Medical Officers

Resident Doctors are also known as RMOs or Resident Medical Officers. The term SMO (Senior Medical Officer) is the equivalent term for Senior Doctors or consultants working in NZ's public health system. Resident doctors are registered medical practitioners ranging from new graduates fresh out of medical school through to vocationally registered GPs and SMOs. They can be a resident doctor for up to 13 years, during which time they continue with postgraduate training in specialist fields such as GP, paediatrics, surgery, pathology, and so on. Once they complete this additional training they become GPs or SMOs.