A planned work-to-rule protest by junior doctors in Waterford Regional Hospital has been deferred for a week pending the outcome of a meeting at the Labour Relations Commission.
More than 20 doctors working in paediatrics and anaesthetics are objecting to rostering changes which will see fewer doctors working during the busiest part of the day, between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Irish Medical Organisation and officials from the Health Service Employers Agency will meet at the Labour Relations Commission on Monday.
If the there is no agreement, the IMO say the work to rule will be invoked next Wednesday, July 24th.
The South Eastern Health Board denied that the roster changes were due to cost-cutting. The board said the roster changes are part of a move to cut the number of hours worked by junior doctors.
The health board added that additional staff would be recruited.