Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that hospitals are ‘managing well’ because of the Government’s Winter Plan is delusional, NZNO says.
Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says the Minister’s comments yesterday beggar belief.
"Despite Emergency Departments (ED) being completely overwhelmed and patients being treated in waiting rooms and corridors, Simeon Brown claims the Coalition Government’s failed Winter Plan is ‘managing well’.
"The Minister is delusional and completely out of touch with reality. He continues to ignore warnings from nurses on the frontline that patients are at risk. He fails to acknowledge patients can’t get into their local doctors, or can’t afford to, and are arriving at EDs increasingly unwell. Once in ED, they can’t be moved because the hospital wards are full.
"Instead, Simeon Brown continues to perpetuate untruths on social media about his Government hiring 2100 more nurses despite admitting in Parliament last week the net increase is just 54 full-time nurses. With a growing and ageing population this means there are less nurses, not more," Kerri Nuku says.
The Minister also points to Te Whatu Ora " actively recruiting for the equivalent of 2378 full-time nursing roles right across the country" and that "475 nurses have already accepted their offers".
"This recruitment is too late to help the worst flu season in a decade and follows revelations the Minister oversaw a deliberate recruitment freeze to cut costs which left 1300 empty nursing jobs. It also doesn’t include attrition, retirement rates or the fact that some of these vacancies will be filled by the same nurses moving to different hospitals.
"Even the promised 1800 graduate jobs are smoke and mirrors when there are around 3000 nursing graduates a year. That is only 60% being hired, down from 90-100% before this Government took office. Our tauira (students) tell us they are looking to move to Australia, so New Zealand taxpayers are now paying to train the Australian nursing workforce.
"It is time for the Minister to own his decisions," Kerri Nuku says.