Melbourne public hospital doctors to strike next week

Doctors at major public hospitals in Melbourne are set to strike next week, halting work for several hours in protest over a protracted pay dispute with the Victorian government. The industrial action, scheduled for August 13 from 12:30 pm to 4 pm, marks the first protected industrial action by doctors in Victorian public hospitals in two decades.

The work ban will impact hospitals including the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Royal Children's Hospital, and the Royal Women's Hospital, along with other facilities in Melbourne's CBD and Parkville. While emergency department doctors and those in critical frontline services will not participate, the strike will necessitate the rescheduling of non-life-threatening appointments.

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Up to 50 per cent of, particularly our doctors in training, report incredibly high levels of fatigue and stress, and they're incredibly worried in those conditions about whether they might be prone to making errors

Members of the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation will also engage in other statewide actions, such as disrupting patient billing and refusing unscheduled overtime. They will also cease responding to emails and phone calls from hospital management. The Australian Medical Association Victoria (AMAV) stated that 97 percent of its union members voted in favor of the industrial action.

AMAV president Simon Jenkins highlighted the critical issues driving the strike, noting that doctors have been negotiating for better pay and conditions for 12 months. He expressed concern over "incredibly high levels of fatigue and stress" among doctors, particularly trainees, and the potential for errors under such conditions. Many doctors reportedly do not receive payment for overtime, even when on call after hours, and concerns about shift fatigue and adequate breaks are also central to the dispute.

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Many of our doctors still don't get paid for overtime, a lot of our consultants are on call after hours and don't get paid for overtime. We're also looking at shifts, shift fatigue, making sure doctors get adequate breaks when they're on work