More than 500 radiology appointments and some elective surgery at Dunedin Hospital will not go ahead if the radiographers' nationwide 48-hour strike proceeds tomorrow morning.
From 7am tomorrow until 7am on Thursday only radiology services required for life and limb preserving will be available.
Southern District Health Board diagnostic and support services Otago general manager Sonja Dillon said on Friday staff would have a better idea today how many patients would be affected.
At least 520 radiology appointments would be affected.
Mammography figures had yet to be added to that.
Some elective surgery would still be carried out, but that had to involve procedures where necessary radiology had already been completed or where follow-up scans were not needed soon after the surgery.
The hospital had arranged for a small number of procedures to be undertaken by Otago Radiology, a private provider not affected by the strike action.
This was limited and would be used where the need was greatest.
Patients whose procedures would be postponed would be advised.
Radiographers have given notice of further possible industrial action going through to November 26.
This week's action is part of months of rolling industrial action in an ongoing dispute between the the radiographers' union Apex and District Health Boards New Zealand over pay and conditions.