Coroner’s findings into the death of Taranaki man Len Collett put Te Whatu Ora on notice that "consciously deciding" to under-resource the local Emergency Department creates a high risk of "another catastrophic event", NZNO says.

Coroner Ian Telford today released his findings into the death of Leonard (Len) Collett at Taranaki Base Hospital Emergency Department (ED) in 2020 which was caused by injuries suffered in a fall.

Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says NZNO extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to Len’s wife Vicky and whānau.

"In her statement to the Coronial Inquest into her husband’s death, Vicky Collett said she wanted to make sure what happened to Len never happens again to a patient. NZNO is speaking out on behalf of our members who also want to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

"The Coroner found that on the evening of Len’s death, the ED was nine patients over capacity. It was fully staffed but a nurse and a health care assistant had been redeployed from other areas of the hospital," Kerri Nuku says.

"He found all nursing staff involved with Len’s care were excellent and there was no concerns with knowledge, skill or competence.

"What is most concerningly is that an assessment of the resourcing in the ED in May this year - five years later - found it was operating with a 15 full-time equivalent staffing deficit and ‘funding to recruit into these vacancies has not been approved’.

"The findings go on to warn: ‘Put simply, if this Emergency Department continues to operate without adequate staffing and an appropriate skill mix to safely care for and monitor patients, the risk of another catastrophic event occurring remains high.’

Kerri Nuku says nurses have been telling Te Whatu Ora for more than a year that short staffing is putting patients at risk.

"These findings put Te Whatu Ora on notice. It is time for Te Whatu Ora - and the Government - to listen to those who are caring for our sick and vulnerable.

"Safe staffing saves lives. Aotearoa New Zealand needs nurse-to-patient ratios now and funding based on patient need, not an arbitrary cost cutting budget set by the Government.

"Our nurses are exhausted from being constantly short staffed and stressed because they can’t get to their patients when they’re needed, redeployed around hospitals to patch up Te Whatu Ora’s most dire under-resourcing, burnt out since Covid, and moving to Australia where they have safe staffing ratios," Kerri Nuku says.