THE STRIKE THREAT by junior doctors remains in place, but no date is now being given for the action.
The strike was moved to 2 October after talks between the HSE and doctors’ union the IMO last Friday. But the action has now been suspended indefinitely as the union seeks clarification on a number of proposals.
Those proposals include a commitment from the health service that no non-consultant hospital doctors would have to work a shift of longer than 24 hours from the date of 14 January — fulfilling one of the IMO’s key demands.
The HSE has also promised that working hours will be brought into line with a European directive on working hours by the end of next year.
Members of the IMO’s NCHD committee agreed last night to the further suspension of the strike as clarification is sought on the proposals.
Officials from both sides will be in contact today and tomorrow, with a further meeting of the committee planned for this Thursday to consider the response from the HSE.
The proposals aimed at ending the dispute could then be put to a wider ballot of NCHD IMO members.
In the meantime, work is under way on a process of altering rosters and making sure shifts are brought down below 24 hours.
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