Over 100 senior doctors, 250 residents resign

Medical residents stay home for second consecutive day; Health Ministry warns against violating High Court injunction.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Published: NOVEMBER 15, 2011 11:33
Hospital beds 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Hospital beds 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Over 100 senior doctors from public hospitals around the country announced their intention to resign Tuesday in solidarity with medical residents that staged walkouts for the second consecutive day, according to Army Radio. Forty doctors resigned at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, 40 from Sorosky Medical Center in Tel Aviv and another 20 at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, in addition to other hospitals according to the report.The resignations came as some 250 medical residents stayed home for the second day in a row, leaving public hospitals throughout the country understaffed.
RELATED:Health Ministry looks to get residents back to work Residents appeal to High Court after talks fail After 245 medical residents resigned from their positions Monday morning, the Health Ministry warned they were acting “in contempt of court.”The majority of the residents were from the larger and economically stronger hospitals in the country – primarily Rambam Medical Center, Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
The hospitals were not warned in advance of the initial walkout on Monday.
The Health Ministry on Monday instructed hospital directors to tell medical residents that if they did not coordinate their absences with their superiors that they were violating hospital rules and showing contempt of the National Labor Court, which had instructed them to return to work.
Arbel members took action before the High Court of Justice has ruled on its request by members to resign in protest against the various courts’ refusal to let them resign en masse. The ministry noted negotiations with the Treasury are the “only solution” to existing disputes.