Statement attributable to Dr Dale Bramley, Health New Zealand Chief Executive

We are disappointed and concerned at the decision by Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) members to take further strike action.

The planned strike action by doctors, should it go ahead, would result in delays to care, surgeries and treatments for thousands of patients. 

We remain committed to reaching a fair and reasonable settlement that recognises the value of our senior doctors and supports workforce retention in hard-to-staff areas.

We are ready to immediately return to the bargaining table and have applied for urgent mediation as we try to avoid the strike.  We have reached out to ASMS to set down dates as soon as possible.