District health boards have rejected claims their latest collective agreement offer would put patients at risk.
The Resident Doctors' Association says it would leave surgical registrars fatigued from working 16-hour shifts, and up to 12 days in a row.
"Patient safety and doctor wellbeing in the public health sector is taking a massive step backwards," said national secretary Dr Deborah Powell.
"They are going back to the dark ages of allowing surgical registrars to work 12 consecutive days in a row, including up to three 16-hour days during this stretch.
"It must be evident to all that there is no commitment from the DHBs to support good health and wellbeing of resident doctors or even, through them, the safety of their patients."
But Nelson-Marlborough Health chief executive Peter Bramley says that's not true.
"As health professionals, patient safety is the number one priority. We have no desire at all to ever design a system that's going to compromise patient safety."
Mr Bramley said a 12-day limit will allow roster flexibility.
"I think what's really exciting is the opportunity in each specialty to be able to, at a local level, design rosters that will work for that particular context."
Mr Bramley said negotiations are ongoing.
Newshub.
