Pickets and rallies are being planned in Tauranga, Whakatāne Hospital, Rotorua and Taupō as 865 health workers prepare to stop work this week.

Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA) health workers will strike for the second time in four weeks this Friday after recent mediation talks failed.

They will be part of the 17,000 or so health workers, including Allied Health staff, mental health and public health nurses and healthcare assistants, and policy, advisory, knowledge and specialist (Paks) workers, who are striking around the country for a pay increase to match the increased cost of living and safe staffing to ensure that patients get the quality care they deserve.

In a statement, the PSA said the action is to send a clear message to the Government that workers won’t back down on issues such as chronic understaffing and under-resourcing.

Union national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the striking workers were “standing up for the public health system that New Zealanders need and deserve”.

In Tauranga, Whakatāne, Taupō and Rotorua, rallies and pickets are being held at:

– Tauranga Hospital, Cameron Rd frontage, 1pm-2pm;

– Whakatāne Hospital, Garaway St frontage, 1pm-2pm;

– Rotorua Hospital, gathering at the hospital’s main entrance at 1pm, health workers will march to picket at the corner of Arawa St and Ranolf St roundabout from 1.15pm-2.15pm;

– Taupō Hospital, gathering at the main entrance at 1pm and walking to the roadside entrance at 38 Kōtare St, to picket from 1.15pm to 2.15pm.

Life-preserving service staff levels have been agreed between the PSA and Health New Zealand for the duration of the strike.

Since the “mega-strike” on October 23, the parties have attended mediation through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, but no settlement has been reached.

Should the strike action go ahead, Health NZ said all hospitals and facilities would remain open.

Health NZ’s people and culture and health and safety executive director, Robyn Shearer, said it acknowledges the strike action by some mental health and public health nurses who are members of the PSA union on Friday, November 28, between 1 and 5pm.

“We would like to reassure the public that plans are in place to ensure the continued delivery of hospital and community health services during the strike.

“Patient safety will remain our priority throughout the strike.”

Hospitals, emergency departments, mental health units and most community services will remain open during the strike, with union members supporting our non-striking staff in providing life-preserving services, Shearer said.

“Our crisis and acute mental health services will be open, but some routine clinics will be closed, and some home visits will not go ahead.”

Anyone with a hospital or community appointment on Friday was reminded to attend unless they have been contacted directly to reschedule.

Any appointments that were deferred due to the strike will be rescheduled to the next available opportunity.

Other advice for all patients during the strikes was:

– if you need emergency care, come to the ED as normal;

– people requiring non-emergency care should contact their GP or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 in the first instance;

– patients in hospital will receive safe care;

– unless you are contacted directly, please attend any scheduled outpatient or community appointment or treatment;

– people with non-urgent mental health needs should contact their GP or call or text 1737, which is the national mental health and addictions helpline.

“Looking forward, we believe further bargaining is the best way forward to resolve outstanding issues,” Shearer said.