NZNO in the news

Paying incentives to GP clinics to hire nurses won’t fix the systemic funding issues causing chronic staff shortages in primary and community health care, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced...

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Suggestions that nurses replace doctors at GP clinics to address chronic staff shortages are uninformed, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has suggested nurses and nurse practitioners can “do more of...

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Culturally safe ratios within nursing must be urgently introduced in Aotearoa to turn around Māori health inequities and improve whānau health and wellbeing, a new report released today by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) has found. The report...

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The Coalition Government’s scaled-back new Dunedin hospital build is putting cost-cutting ahead of health and wellbeing, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. NZNO President and emergency nurse Anne Daniels says today’s announcement...

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Primary care nurses must be paid the same as hospital nurses to fix the chronic staff shortages causing New Zealanders to be turned away from GP clinics, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. A Victoria University of Wellington study has found...

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The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is calling on the Government to properly fund and resource the health sector to create an equitable health system that meets the needs of all New Zealanders. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today announced that...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is concerned that some mental health nurses are so worried about their safety, they are asking Te Whatu Ora to look into the use of stab-proof vests and personal alarms. It follows the stabbing of a nurse during an...

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The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōputanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) joins te ao Māori to mourn the loss of Dame Tariana Turia - a former Associate Minister of Health and Whānau Ora Minister. NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says like nurses throughout Aotearoa, Dame Turia was...

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Te Whatu Ora’s Health Workforce Plan released today shows our health system is focused is on capping costs not meeting patients’ needs, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says the plan normalises ongoing...

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The Coalition Government should mark Human Rights Day by agreeing to end all gender and ethnicity pay discrimination in the health sector, says the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO). NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says today is Human Rights Day and...

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About 36,000 Te Whatu Ora nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora will down tools tomorrow (Tuesday 3 December) in a nationwide strike over patient safety concerns following proposals raised in recent collective bargaining with Health NZ. The New Zealand Nurses...

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Te Whatu Ora has utterly failed graduate nurses by employing just over a half of this year’s cohort, says NZNO National Student Unit co-chair Bianca Anderson. New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) has more than 5000 nursing student members...

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Today’s announcement of $10 million for specialist nurses and allied health professionals shows the Government has no vision to fix the broken health sector, NZNO says. New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says the $10...

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The Government will today be urged to ensure the new Dunedin hospital provides crucial tertiary level health services for the Southern region in a petition being handed over at Parliament today. Tertiary level health services are specialised and lifesaving care such as surgery and lifesaving...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) members employed by Te Whatu Ora are alarmed by Health New Zealand’s plans to pause a key component of its safe staffing programme. Te Whatu Ora indicated they would pause calculations for the Care Capacity...

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Mental Health Nurses have serious concerns about the safety of their patients, the public, their colleagues and themselves when police changes to emergency 111 calls come into effect on Monday, New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa says. On Monday 4...

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On Saturday (19 October), New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) nursing students take their struggle to the streets calling on the Government to invest in their futures with paid training. Students need assistance while they study but are being ignored...

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Ensuring patients’ needs are met should be the primary factor in determining how many nurses Te Whatu Ora needs, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. Commissioner Dr Lester Levy this morning revealed Te Whatu Ora is employing 3000 more...

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Members of New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa employed at Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora will tomorrow (Wednesday 9 October) deliver a giant overdue invoice for $2.1 billion for Holiday Act remediation. The overdue invoice has been signed by more than...

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Concerns over patient safety on the West Coast have prompted the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki O Aotearoa to join a march in Buller on Saturday to raise awareness of the dire state of the health system. West Coast urgent GPs clinics end this weekend. From 1...

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The Government’s announcement today that it will scale back the new Dunedin hospital will negatively impact patient care, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki O Aotearoa says. "Southerners deserve more than half a hospital or a slow rebuild of the...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki O Aotearoa members will gather in support of their bargaining team on tomorrow morning to mark the first day of collective contract negotiations with Te Whatu Ora. Wednesday 25 September will be the first day of bargaining for...

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The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) agrees with the Minister of Health that every dollar spent on health is precious but disagrees that the Government’s health targets can be reached within current budgets. Today, Health Minister Hon Dr Shane...

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The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is horrified by statements from Finance Minister Nicola Willis that the Government is experimenting with using heated tobacco products as an alternative to cigarettes to see if they will help people to stop...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) has deep concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the aggression of the Israeli state towards the Palestinian peoples. Board member and mental health nurse Grant Brookes said: "We are aware that some...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) has joined the nation in mourning the passing of Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said among the union’s membership are thousands of Māori nurses who would have been...

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Nurses are kicking off their collective bargaining with Te Whatu Ora by taking action for safe staffing on Friday, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. On Friday, NZNO members employed by Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora commence bargaining for...

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Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora’s call for employees to end their employment via voluntary redundancy is in breach of the established consultation processes, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. Chief executive Paul Goulter says Te Whatu Ora...

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Wellington retirees will rally tomorrow to protest staffing cuts at Aged Residential Care facilities. They want a fair go for staff and residents. The rally will take place from 11:30am to 12:30pm outside Tākina Conference Centre which is hosting the Retirement Village Association...

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Staff at Dargaville Hospital are sick and tired of working in fear because of the unavailability of an on-site doctor. Therefore, members of New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) will strike for one hour to voice their frustrations on 29 August. Without...

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The passing of Rhoena Davis on Friday, 16 August has created a gaping hole among the ranks of senior Māori nurses which will be difficult to fill, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says. Ms Davis was a nurse in Northland since...

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Student nurses are calling for more support for Māori nurses to grow their workforce in Aotearoa. Speaking from the Indigenous Nurses Aotearoa Conference in Auckland, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) National Student Unit Co-leaders, Stacey Wharewera...

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Māori nurses are angry and they're ready to show it. The annual annual Indigenous Nurses Aotearoa Conference will be a fiery affair as frustrations towards the disregard and disrespect shown towards Māori start to boil over. The conference takes place at the Papakura Marae in...

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About 150 community health nurses employed by Access Home Health continue with their struggle for fair wages and respect from their employer. The nurses are members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO). Despite further talks following their first...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is concerned about a recent graduate nurse recruitment botch-up by Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora. A large number of graduates who completed their nursing degrees at Wintec in Hamilton were emailed by Te Whatu Ora...

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Members of New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) employed at Thames Hospital’s emergency department (ED) will voice their frustrations at constant understaffing and increased workloads at a rally on Tuesday. NZNO delegate Donna Sarjeant said Thames...

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This afternoon about 150 people joined a picket line outside Ardiva’s Village at the Park, a residential aged care facility in Newtown, Wellington. The lively crowd included residents from Village at the Park, their families, workers, and neighbours from the wider Newtown community. The...

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About 150 New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) workers employed at Access Home Health will strike next Monday following a breakdown in talks with their employer. NZNO delegate Linda Ewbank said the nurses, who visit and support patients at home, have...

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He Tipua conference focusing on nurse-to-patient ratios opened today in Wellington. New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) have brought esteemed international experts to New Aotearoa New Zealand to share their knowledge on how ratios and ratio justice have...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) have brought esteemed international experts to Aotearoa New Zealand to share their knowledge on how nurse to patient ratios and radio justice have worked in their countries and how they will work here. They will join...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) have voiced concerns about Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora restricting the employment of graduate nurses into their workforce due to budget constraints. Health NZ Te Whatu Ora say the number of graduate nurses...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is extremely disappointed by Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora’s decision not to match graduates into their nursing workforce. As part of its ongoing “cost-containment” cuts, Health New Zealand Te...

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The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is dismayed at the latest cost cutting measure implemented by Health NZ Te Whatu Ora. In April, Health NZ Te Whatu Ora regions were asked to collectively save $105 million by July using “cost...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) will hit the road for 11 days this month to raise awareness of the health crisis facing Aotearoa New Zealand. NZNO President Anne Daniels says the organisation was calling on the Government to increase health...

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The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is outraged that multiple te Tirtiti o Waitangi provisions are set to be scrapped from the Corrections Amendment Bill. These provisions would have compelled the Department of Corrections to improve outcomes for...

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Nurses working at the frontline of mental health services are saying they are burnt out and feel unsafe at work. The stark realities faced by mental health nurses has been exposed in a 2023 survey of 400 members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa...

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The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says the money set aside for health over the next four years in Budget 2024 is barely enough to keep the lights on. NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says that’s neither clever nor good enough when our current...

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Nurses and kaimahi working for Māori and Iwi health providers are hoping tomorrow’s Budget helps ease the daily struggle they face to deliver services to their communities. Te Runanga o Aotearoa New Zealand Nurses Organisation delegate and rural nurse Gina Chaffey-Aupouri says those...

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On Friday, NZNO Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) and E tū members at St Kilda Care Home in Cambridge, Waikato will rally against their employer’s decision to cut the number of hours for up to 40 nurses and caregivers on the staff roster. At 2pm, members of the two unions will...

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New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 16 May 2024 On 27 September 2023, during a televised pre-election leaders’ debate, Christopher Luxon said that regardless of whether nurses work in aged care, general practice or “the DHB equivalent system”, they should be paid...

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