HEALTH SERVICES
Junior doc strike 'avoidable'
October 6, 2013
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A senior HSE official has said Tuesday's planned one-day strike by junior hospital doctors is avoidable.
Barry O'Brien, head of human resources at the HSE said that management has repeatedly asked the LRC to invite the IMO to engage in talks again in recent days but they have declined that invitation.
Speaking on RTE's This Week programme, he said the strike over excessive working hours is avoidable if the IMO agrees to return to talks.
The HSE says 15,000 patients will be affected by Tuesday's strike. Operations and outpatient clinics will be cancelled in many hospitals.However, the IMO believes the strike is now inevitable because of the failure of the HSE to 'step up to the plate' on the crucial issue of sanctions for hospitals who exceed a new planned limit of 24 hours on continuous hospital doctor shiftsThe IMO claims there is no basis for further talks at present, and says there has been a breakdown of trust with the HSE.
Time to end this damaging dispute