Vic: ICU patients will be evacuated if strike goes ahead

"We're on the verge of something calamitous in Victoria - a strike which is threatening to close our public hospital admissions and shut down the ICU units in our public hospitals," he said.

"There could not be a more serious threat to our health system than has been announced today."

He said Premier John Brumby and Health Minister Daniel Andrews had refused to meet with the union.

"And now we are on the cusp of one of the most significant strikes in our health system's history," Baillieu said.

Andrews said he was "disturbed" by the strike action, branding it unnecessary and unsafe.

"That industrial action serves no purpose other than to put at risk the safety and the wellbeing of patients right throughout our public hospital system," Andrews told reporters.

"As I have said consistently, the government has a wages policy, the government is committed to getting a fair, reasonable and balanced outcome.

"The way to get that outcome is to talk, work through the issues with the appropriate support and help of the independent umpire.

Andrews said the government's 3.25 per cent wages policy was fair and balanced the need to reward staff while leaving enough money to employ more staff, open more beds and treat more patients.