Workers on strike

Manawatū people with urgent health issues during a planned strike are being urged to still go to hospital to get treatment, while other people should try to get help elsewhere. Thousands of health and disability professionals across the country are going on strike all day today, after a pay equity deal with the country’s largest nursing union appeared to break down. For the Mid-Central District Health Board, it means many staff across inpatient and outpatient services will not be on deck, although specific life-preserving services will still function. The board’s executive director of allied health Gabrielle Scott said plans were in place to contact patients impacted by the strike. People with appointments who were not contacted should attend as per normal, but the main priority would be patient safety, she said. People needing medical help should get it, but access to certain services would depend on how bad things were.