Next week's strike by junior doctors is still on the cards, after the New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association (NZRDA) union failed to agree to the terms of a new collective agreement offered by the country's 20 district health boards (DHBs).

Two days of mediated bargaining – which wound up on Thursday – has been unable to prevent NZRDA union members from walking off the job for 48 hours starting at 7am Tuesday, January 15.

​DHBs were already in the throes of contingency planning, many already postponing non-essential appointments, procedures and clinics set to coincide with the upcoming industrial action.

STUFF Mediation talks have failed to overcome the contractual impasse between junior doctors' union, the Resident Doctors' Association, and the District Health Boards. (File photo)

NZRDA estimated about 3300 doctors would be putting down their stethoscopes. A DHB spokesman said the number of striking doctors was "closer to 2000" – either way, the strike's impact would be significant.

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While hospitals are warning services will be "severely reduced" during the strike, all DHBs say emergency care and life-preserving treatment will still be available.

"Patient safety remains our priority ... our message to the public is: if you need our care, we are here," an Auckland DHB spokeswoman said.

An agreement was also in place which guaranteed sufficient numbers of clinical staff would be made available should a natural disaster or a spike in emergency cases took place.

While the dispute was complex and technical, the major points of contention in the Multi-Employer Collective Agreement (MECA) centred around junior doctors' rostering, training, pay and work conditions.

After the doctors' previous collective agreement expired last February, NZRDA president Dr Courtney Brown said the union had "no other option" but to forge ahead with the strike.

"The DHBs' position means RMOs [junior doctors/resident medical officers] could be required to work for more than 16 hours in a row, without guarantee of rest and safety.

KELLY HODEL/STUFF All emergency departments, including Waikato Hospital's ED, will remain open for genuine emergencies throughout the strike.

"RMOs could lose access to education and training, jeopardising the quality of care we are able to deliver to our patients," Brown said.

DHB spokesman Dr Peter Bramley said the current rostering system did not meet the training needs of "a significant number of doctors and complicates safe patient care".

He claimed senior doctors, junior doctors and medical colleges had "all raised concerns" about the system, creating the need for change.

ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF Canterbury District Health Board has set up a hotline for patients to see if their appointment scheduled to take place during the strike has been postponed. (0800 778 226).

"DHBs are committed to being good employers and will not subject junior doctors to disruptive or dangerous work conditions," Dr Bramley said.

The DHBs were able to agree to terms with the smaller, breakaway resident doctors' union, the Speciality Trainees of NZ union, over its collective agreement in November.

Duty Minister Iain Lees-Galloway encouraged "all parties to come together" to avoid strike action, with the Government keeping a close eye on the situation.

MARION VAN DIJK/STUFF District Health Board spokesman Dr Peter Bramley says DHB officials are "disappointed" next week's strike action will go ahead.

"We respect the right of doctors to take action of this nature, we urge that patient safety and care remains paramount and is not compromised by the proposed action.

"DHBs have assured us they have contingency plans in place to ensure essential and emergency services will not be affected if the strike goes ahead.

"Anyone who needs treatment during the strike will have it and people should not delay seeking medical advice if they think the matter is urgent," Lees-Galloway said.​

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Duty Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says the Government respects the right of doctors to take strike action, but wants patient care and safety to remain paramount.

District Health Boards' strike advice

Auckland

Providing emergency and life-preserving services 'priority'

Some patient appointments being rescheduled. Those who haven't been contacted should attend their appointment as normal

Unsure how many doctors will strike

Counties Manukau

Large number of services "not affected"

Endeavouring "not to reschedule, where possible".

Those affected will be contacted

Waikato

About 450 junior doctors employed, mostly at Waikato Hospital

Thames, Te Kuiti, Taumaranui and Tokoroa hospitals "mostly unaffected"

Patients whose clinical appointments or operations affected being phoned

Hawke's Bay

Some outpatient appointments and elective surgeries will be postponed, rescheduled or "put on stand-by"

Patients affected will be telephoned

People encouraged to use emergency department (ED) for genuine emergencies

Capital & Coast

Working to ensure essential and emergency services are not affected

Priority will be given to essential and acute 24-hour services

Patients with appointments or elective surgeries impacted by strike will be contacted

Those with non-urgent ailments or injuries should visit their GP first

Hutt Valley

Almost 100 junior doctors involved in strike

No procedures cancelled, "only deferred"

While ED will be open, it should only use it for genuine emergencies

Those with non-urgent ailments or injuries should visit their GP

Wairarapa

Some medical clinics and elective surgery postponed from Friday.

Those affected have been advised

While ED will be open, it should only be used for critical illness and injury emergencies

Canterbury

Employs about 550 junior doctors, about 70 per cent were RDA members

Patients with procedures affected by the strike will be contacted, or patients can check by phoning 0800 778 226 (8am-5pm)

Surgeries and outpatient appointments affected by strike are being rescheduled

All emergency departments will be open for genuine emergencies over the strike period.