An industrial dispute over the rosters of junior doctors in Waterford has escalated and could spread to all major hospitals within weeks.
An emergency meeting of the Irish Medical Organisation's (IMO) non-consultant hospital doctors' committee has given the go-ahead for a national strike ballot. If the 3,000 junior doctors vote for industrial action, they could be on strike by the end of August.
The dispute is about proposed new rosters which would mean working more hours outside 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. - the key training period for junior doctors. However, it would mean shorter working hours overall.
The South Eastern Health Board said the proposed change was part of a move to reduce the average hours worked by the doctors. However, the IMO said it would threaten the doctors' training as the majority of training provided by consultants was between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The industrial action in Waterford Regional Hospital began on Thursday and involves about 12 junior doctors in the paediatric unit. Non-emergency cover has been withdrawn from the paediatric unit but a South Eastern Health Board spokeswoman said the disruption was minimal.
This dispute will be escalated next Thursday to involve all 120 junior doctors in the hospital. A one-day strike in Tullamore hospital is also set to take place next Tuesday over the issue.
A health board spokeswoman said all offers made to the IMO to resolve the dispute were turned down. "The IMO continues to refuse to meet a third party to resolve the dispute."
Mr Fintan Hourihan, IMO industrial relations director, said other hospitals were attempting to implement similar changes and the IMO was "appalled" that hospitals and health boards were attacking doctors' training provisions.
"In the context of reducing non-consultant hospital doctors' hours, the IMO restates its support for the reduction in on-call hours worked by non-consultant hospital doctors but equally affirms that there must not be changes made to the normal roster period when doctors are supposed to receive training," he said.
