Planned surgeries postponed, and longer waits in the emergency rooms are among the impacts of tomorrow's nurses and midwives 12-hour strike, NSW Health says.
In an ongoing effort to get a one-year 15 per cent pay rise, nurses and midwives across the Hunter planned to stop work on Tuesday September 10.
Thousands of NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) members statewide were expected to strike from 7am to 7.30pm.
The union said minimal, life-preserving staffing would be maintained in public hospitals and health services.
NSW Health said the action would "very likely affect people seeking care".
"There is no doubt this strike action will impact on our public health system, from longer waits in emergency rooms to cancelled non-emergency surgeries," NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said.
Mr Park said the Industrial Relations Commission said the union should cease industrial action, including the strike tomorrow.
He said hearings at the commission were ongoing on Monday to "avoid impacts to patients and community safety".
All local health districts had plans in place to limit disruptions with the most seriously unwell patients treated first, he said.
"We assure the community they should not hesitate to go to their local hospital for emergency care."
'Undervalued, overworked and not listened to'
The strike comes after work bans last week where members refused to clean beds and bins or take calls on wards at John Hunter and Maitland Hospital.
NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said members were tired of being "undervalued, overworked and not listened to".
She said the government had not discussed nurses and midwives' pay at all in 10 negotiation meetings.
"That's despite us finding significant cost savings through our Rapid Business Case" said Ms Candish.
"Nurses and midwives shouldn't have to foot the bill for safe staffing ratios in our public hospitals and forgo a decent pay rise - there's no other workforce that's been required to pay for their own resources."
Ms Candish said the government was refusing to fix the gender pay gap by not addressing pay for the state's largest female-dominated workforce.
"It's clear the state government is choosing to pay nurses and midwives the lowest wages in the country, and it will continue to see our public health system fall apart if it doesn't pay nurses and midwives enough to stay in NSW," she said.
Industrial action has been underway across the Hunter's public and private healthcare sector over the last few weeks.
Calvary Mater Newcastle held a rally on Monday September 2 calling for safe staffing while nurses at Lake Macquarie Private Hospital demanded adequate time for meal and toilet breaks.
NSWNMA members rallied outside John Hunter Hospital on August 26 to push back against long hours, short-staffing and low pay.
Newcastle union members will hold a rally at Newcastle Civic Park from 11am to 1pm tomorrow during the strike.
