The ongoing strike of medical laboratory workers has reached a new level as DHBs make claims that the strikers are to blame for the drawn out industrial action, and that the “unreasonable” action is harming patients.

Several examples were mentioned at a media briefing on Wednesday, which featured representatives of all 20 DHBs. In Auckland a patient haemorrhaging in an operation theatre had the blood supply for transfusion refused, then delayed, because of an attempt to apply union sanctions to the cross-matching of the blood.

Auckland DHB claims that 600 patients are waiting for CT services, while 50 others with renal stones cannot have their surgery because radiographers refuse to operate on specific days. Hutt Valley DHB has said that 1,500 women have not had access to mammogram services for the last 3 months, while Northland DHB says 29 orthopaedic operations have been cancelled.

Lab workers respond that DHBs are also guilty for suspending striking workers and not ensuring that their work continues to be done while they are absent.

The union’s National President, Stewart Smith, said: “It is the DHB's ideologically driven, fixed and predetermined position that is the main barrier to settlement, not medical laboratory workers willingness to find a reasonable negotiated outcome”.

Medical officers, on the other hand, called on the Government to review current processes allowing health professionals to strike. Health Minister, Tony Ryall has ruled this out, saying that compulsory arbitration is not a viable option for the delivery of the best quality health services.