Junior doctors stop work as part of statewide strike

Local junior doctors took part in a four-hour statewide strike across Victoria’s entire public hospital system, rallying outside Northeast Health Wangaratta on Thursday afternoon over unsustainable working hours, fatigue and the threat to patient safety. First-year Northeast Health Wangaratta doctor Allen Xiao said the action reflected concerns about wages, workload, leave and protected training time. “Our working conditions ultimately are the patient’s treatment conditions, and it’s really disappointing the government hasn’t recognised that,” he said. “Our wages are going backwards. "Our conditions are becoming more and more intense as the pressure of training increases and becoming specialist doctors that our community needs becomes harder and harder. "We're hopeful that, especially in regional communities like these, if junior doctors can make their voice heard in a really public way that people are going to be aware of the impact that cutting our wages and cutting our conditions has on healthcare across the system." Dr Xiao said organisers had made arrangements for hospitals to retain safe weekend-level staffing during the stoppage to minimise any effect on patient care. NHW executive director people and corporate operations, Kim Bennetts, said measures were put in place to ensure patient safety and minimise disruption to services during the strike period. The statewide action, the first of its kind in 25 years for doctors, was conducted through the Australian Medical Association/Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation Victoria (AMA/ASMOF Victoria), with the local rally supported by Junior Medical Officer (JMO) association. Dr Xiao said junior doctors were disappointed by what he described as “over a year of subpar treatment” and a “lack of respect” for the value doctors bring to the community. He said regional communities had a particular stake in the dispute because employment and training conditions influenced whether junior doctors could develop into specialists and settle in the areas they served. “These are the things that allow us to properly train, settle in the community and become the doctors that the community needs," Dr Xiao said. He said they had seen great support from their supervisors and senior doctors. Minister for Health Ingrid Stitt said every Victorian who turns up to a public hospital relies on the people working there. "We recognise the care and commitment they bring to their work," she said. "We’ve been working directly with AMA and ASMOF, and discussions are progressing. "Patient care remains the priority, and hospitals are ready to manage any disruption. "Victorians should be assured that there will be no disruption to emergency care, our emergency departments remain ready to look after you and your loved ones throughout the day." ASMOF Victoria president Dr Roderick McRae said the problem of working hours and fatigue in hospitals was so acute, doctors felt they had no option but to take strike action again. “Our doctors do not take the decision to go on strike lightly," he said. "But the reality is they are being rostered on for 84-hour weeks and frequently work even longer when emergencies occur. “They are often completely exhausted and burnt out, with little opportunity to rest between shifts. "The threat that this systemic fatigue presents to patient safety is simply unacceptable. “That’s why they’ve decided to take strike action this week.” AMA Victoria president Dr Simon Judkins said doctors were not asking for anything unreasonable, but simply wanted sustainable working conditions to protect patient welfare. “To ensure we can provide the best care for Victoria’s patients, doctors are asking for a 12.5-hour limit to shifts and at least three guaranteed days off every fortnight to support proper rest and recovery," he said. “As other emergency services recognise, these basic measures are critical in managing fatigue and in keeping doctors and patients safe." Allied health professionals also joined the rally in solidarity, following the Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA) announcing on Thursday morning they were escalating their industrial campaign by walking off the job for a third time and striking for 24 hours.

Junior doctors stop work as part of statewide strike

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