The HSE and members of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) will visit two hospitals today to verify whether junior doctors are working shifts of more than 24 hours.

It follows talks at the Labour Relations Commission on ending the dispute on excessive working hours for non consultant hospital doctors.

Junior doctors plan to go on strike next Wednesday, September 25th to highlight that these working hours are in breach of an EU Directive which states junior doctors must not work more than 48 hours per week.

They also plan to hold additional one day per week strikes in at least one hospital in each region of the country from the week commencing Monday September 30th. 

In a statement the IMO called for an immediate end of shifts in excess of 24 hours, which it claims poses "the most significant risk to patient safety and the welfare of NCHDs (junior doctors)".

It also asks for a planned move to compliance with the European Working Time Directive (EWHD) by the end of 2014.

Chairman of the NCHD Committee Dr. John Donnellan said the strike wouldn't be necessary if it were not for "the inaction and prevarication of the Department of Health and the HSE," and called on the Minister for Health to tackle the issue "once and for all". 

Both the HSE and the IMO will reconvene talks at the LRC tomorrow following today's hospital inspections.