3,000 NCHDs take strike action in campaign against dangerously long working hours

• Strong support across country as 51 Hospitals affected by withdrawal of service

Tuesday 8th October 2013. Picket lines of NCHD Doctors have formed at hospitals across the country as over 3,000 NCHDs who are members of the IMO undertake a Day of Action against the HSE by withdrawing services in public hospitals. 51 hospitals are affected.

The withdrawal of services began formally at 07.00am this morning and will continue until midnight tonight. Pickets have been set up at many hospitals to highlight the NCHD campaign.

Reports confirm significant pickets are now in place at major hospitals in Dublin including (numbers are approximate):

• The Mater (over 100 on picket)
• Beaumont (circa 50 on picket)
• St. Vincents (circa 50 on picket)
• Connolly (circa 40 on picket)

and across the country including

• Cork University Hospital (circa 70 on picket)
• Tullamore Hospital (circa 16 on picket)
• Portiuncula in Ballinasloe (circa 20 on picket)
• Mercy Hospital Cork (circa 30 on picket)

Doctors on the pickets are reporting strong support for the action from members of the public and from colleagues in the hospitals.

Today’s Day of Action is a major escalation in the long-running IMO #24nomore campaign against dangerously long NCHD working hours. NCHDs are routinely required to work individual shifts of over 24 hours at a time and up to 100 hours a week. The Government acknowledges that the hours worked by the NCHDs are in breach of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD).

Speaking today, Dr. John Donnellan, Chairman of the NCHD Committee of the IMO, said that the HSE was responsible for the withdrawal of services; “Responsibility for this day of action rests fairly and squarely with the HSE who have abused the position of NCHDs for over a decade. Throughout that time they have misled Doctors, they have broken promises and commitments and they have ignored their obligations under EU law. As a result they are presiding over an unsafe working environment where the health of patients and that of our own NCHD colleagues is routinely put at risk. Today we are saying loud and clear – “Enough is enough….we are not taking this anymore.”

Ends