GPs tight-lipped on strike contingency plan

The GPs’ Association continues to hold back details of its strike exemptions to the Public Health Insurance (Heilsutrygd).

Heilsutrygd has repeatedly requested details of the GPs’ continency plans in case of a GP strike, arguing that withholding such information is unacceptable and irresponsible to the public.

Marjus Dam, the chairman of the GPs’ Association, says that since the GPs have been working without a valid contract since 1 May, they will not provide these details until 24 hours before a possible strike.

“We will not provide Heilsutrygd with a contract detailing our planned work procedures for the simple reason that we don’t have a contract ourselves,” he says, adding that the GPs have informed Heilsutrygd numerous times that they will be undertaking emergency work during a possible strike, and that the requirements for such work will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The GPs’ Association has no previous experience of strikes of this kind, and that makes it difficult to provide details of its contingency plans, says Dam.

“We have prepared a contingency plan, and we believe the most responsible for us to do is to assess the situation on a day-to-day basis because that gives us the flexibility required for a useful contingency plan.”

Translated by prosa.fo.