Nationwide Doctors' Strike Begins

The first national strike by non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHD) is under way.

It is the first such strike to be held in almost 25 years.

The Irish Medical Organisation has said around 3,000 NCHDs are taking part in the day-long action in protest over working hours. The organisation says the hours are in breach of the European Working Time Directive.

The action has also impacted on patients, with 12,000 out-patient appointments deferred, as well as 3,000 planned operations. It is understood emergency services, oncology and other vital services are still running throughout 51 hospitals around Ireland.

To minimise the disruption of the Day of Action, NCHDs have agreed:

• To provide cover equivalent to the level of cover available in hospitals on a Sunday with one additional on-call registrar for ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

• To support any required transplant and dialysis service for patients

• To provide normal weekend palliative care

• To attend for patients who are undergoing active chemotherapy and radiotherapy which cannot be deferred.

• Any unforeseen major incident will be fully support by NCHDs should it arise.

The Chairman of the IMO NCHD Committee, Dr John Donnellan, said that health and safety concerns for both patients and for NCHDs were at the centre of the dispute.

He explained: "Our members are worried for the risks they pose to their patients and to themselves by current working conditions. Current working arrangements are in breach of European directives and even the Minister for Health has criticised them. The challenge now is to bring them to an end as quickly as possible."

Under current arrangements, NCHDs – or Junior Doctors – are routinely required to work single shifts longer than 24 hours, and routinely up to 36 hours, at a time and up to 100 or more hours a week.

The strike action commenced at 7am this morning (8 October) and will continue until midnight.

(JP/IT)