Patients affected by the junior doctors strike next week are being contacted to let them know, the Southern District Health Board says. The board employed 269 junior doctors, and did not know how many were union members nor how many would turn up to work during the strike. Interim chief executive Chris Fleming said the strike would disrupt services, and as all DHBs were involved, no external support was available. Junior doctors, who are also known as resident medical officers, range in experience from first-year qualified doctors to those with more than 12 years' experience. The New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association ran a campaign centred on safe working hours during protracted pay negotiations with DHBs.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 12, 2016 17:15 UTC