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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Lanie Tindale

Canberra hospital doctors to stop work over pay dispute

Canberra public hospital doctors will take industrial action over a pay dispute, including stopping work for 15 minutes next week.

Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation members voted to take a "series of bans and stoppages" that the union said will not endanger patients.

It has notified Canberra Health Services what action it will take, starting on Friday, May 22.

From Friday, staff will not wear badges or participate in safety and quality standard assessment interviews.

A doctor wears a stethoscope around his neck. Picture by Kate Healy

They will stop attending staff meetings from Monday, and on Tuesday will stop working for 15 minutes between 11.50am and 12.05pm to talk to media.

Doctors will not use Microsoft Teams from Tuesday, May 26 until Thursday, May 28 and refuse to attend walk-In centres on Friday, May 27.

Further actions will be taken in June.

Earlier in the year, four out of five Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation ACT members rejected the government's pay offer.

ACT president Professor Dipti Talaulikar said the doctors had "little choice" but to take industrial action.

"ACT doctors have little choice but to seek to take industrial action in ways that will not affect patient care," Professor Talaulikar said.

"Over the past five years, ACT doctors' wages have slipped to the second lowest in the country in one of its most expensive capitals, with young doctors reporting they can't afford to stay in Canberra at the end of their training.

"Uncompetitive working conditions and pay have led to chronic workforce shortages. Both junior and senior practitioners are dealing with more patients and more complex cases, frequently being required to perform overtime at levels unheard of ten years ago.

"Fatigued and overworked clinicians are finding it challenging to keep delivering high-quality patient care while training and meeting the professional development needs required to care for Canberrans.

"The physical and mental strain on doctors is driving them out of the territory."

Other ACT public servants are taking action after refusing the government's pay offer.

Public schools will be closed on Friday between 8.30am and 10.30am as teachers strike for two hours.

Staff working at Housing ACT walked off the job on May 14, saying they were understaffed and calling for higher pay.

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