NZNO welcomes the release of the Nursing Safe Staffing Review of the Care Capacity Demand Management (CCDM) Programme. Acting Chief Executive Mairi Lucas, says that the report validates what nurses have been saying for years about chronic short staffing and compromised quality care, but the reality on the ground is even worse than reported.

“CCDM is a tool that was set up to ensure quality patient care, by ensuring a whole of system response to changing needs across the hospital. But since the beginning it hasn’t worked because there simply aren’t enough nurses.

“We have nurses leaving in droves. One in five shifts are in red alert, meaning hospitals are critically understaffed and people don’t always receive the highest quality care.”

Ms Lucas says the report shows that NZNO must be part of the solution. She says that while we do need a tool to ensure safe staffing, we need to examine if what we’re using is still fit for purpose.

“No other profession has to undergo such scrutiny to justify the issues they raise. It’s time we lead the change, because there won’t be a durable solution without us.

“Our members are the majority of the healthcare workforce, we live the reality. NZNO needs to be at the decision-making table, especially for the new health authorities, because that’s where solutions will be rolled out.  

“We need a worker-centred and Tiriti-compliant system that can be applied across all sectors, and we desperately need a commitment from the government to do all it can to increase staffing.

“We’re ready to work with the government to bring solutions, we’re just waiting on them to take us up on it.” 

-ENDS-

Contact: Hugo Robinson | Assistant Media and Communications Advisor | hugo.robinson@nzno.org.nz | 021 194 3408.