Te Whatu Ora has been advised by Whakarongorau Aotearoa that NZNO and PSA members staffing their government funded national telehealth services will strike for 24 hours from 3.00pm Friday 15 September to 3.00pm Saturday 16 September.
The strike will result in significant disruption to contracted telehealth services during this period.
Most services will continue with significant reduction in capacity to answer calls, leading in many cases to longer wait times for service users. Some services will not be available and will divert to automated answer messaging for the duration of the strike.
Available staffing will be prioritised for services that support people in immediate danger. Where possible staff have been assigned to services with greatest risk, but this isn't possible where they are required to hold specific skills of knowledge.
A full list of impacted services will be available Thursday 14 September, along with how the service reduction will be signalled to service users, the alternatives that will offered, and planned system service mitigation during the strike period.
Te Whatu Ora understand this reduction or removal of key services will likely have significant flow-on effects for other health service providers in the system during this time.
Te Whatu Ora is also reviewing the automated messaging and call management decisions Whakarongorau Aotearoa is planning to use for all affected services to ensure that it aligns with Te Whatu Ora clinical standards and the mitigation planning we are undertaking with alternative services around the motu.
This situation is unfolding and we will continue to update you with further information and plans as they are available.
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