Nursing reports

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release 17 November 2023

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says it is gravely concerned by the escalating loss of life among health care workers and other civilians in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says the latest official reports show 11,078 Palestinians and around 1200 people in Israel have been killed, with as many as 4506 Palestinian children and 31 Israeli children among the dead.

“We are appalled by the current military action at Al Shifa Hospital. While patients and health workers remain in Al Shifa it continues to be a hospital with protection under International Humanitarian Law.

“We are further appalled by the attacks on health care in Gaza and the West Bank which have included hospitals, clinics, patients and ambulances.”

Ms Nuku says at least 198 health workers have been killed in Gaza since 7 October, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

“Although there are no reported casualties, we are also concerned about the 25 attacks on health care in Israel.”

She says NZNO extends solidarity with health workers everywhere and that the organisation stands with all peoples aspiring for freedom from colonisation.

NZNO has produced a statement on the conflict calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and the withdrawal of the Israel Defence Forces from all Palestinian territories.

“We want an immediate end to the siege of Gaza, and the admission of all necessary humanitarian aid, including water, food, medical equipment, and fuel.
“Civilians must be protected and all hostages must be immediately returned.”

The statement also calls for an International Criminal Court investigation into the possible crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed by the state of Israel, Hamas, and other parties to the conflict, as well as a solution to the conflict that recognises and enables the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights to self-determination and sovereignty.

Ms Nuku also says she is also concerned by reports from Te Kāhui Tika Tangata the Human Rights Commission that anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are increasing within Aotearoa as a result of the war in Gaza.

The statement is available on the NZNO website.

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Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617 | media@nzno.org.nz
 

Today, on the historic first ever International Day for Care and Support, the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA), E tū, and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) are calling for the incoming government to prioritise pay equity.

"International Day for Care and Support is about valuing and recognising people who deliver essential healthcare in our communities," says PSA Assistant Secretary Melissa Woolley.

"Today is particularly important for Aotearoa’s 65,000 care and support workers. As the new Government takes shape, they’re anticipating the outcome of their pay equity claim."

The three unions filed a pay equity claim in July of 2022. The claim has been halted by Te Whatu Ora in its final stages as they seek a review of milestone reports that had already been completed and signed off.

"It has been established that they’re being paid less than what they’re worth because their industry has been dominated by women and undervalued by funders and employers," says Woolley.

"These workers care for people day-in and day-out. They shower people, make sure their medication is right, operate hoists to lift them from bed, and perform a huge range of other tasks that are essential to vulnerable people being able to live with dignity," says E tū Assistant National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh.

"They are currently receiving low wages and have no certainty of when they can expect wages that reflect the true value of their mahi."

"This day recognises the requirement to resource the care economy so that we have disability-inclusive and age-sensitive care and support systems ready to meet the needs of our aging population," says Mackintosh.

"One of the most effective interventions we can make to strengthen community health support for whānau is pay equity for care and support workers. Pay equity will strengthen the quality, access, and reliability of services for disabled people, older people, and those experiencing illness, injury, addiction, or mental health needs," says NZNO delegate Trish McKillop.

The unions launched an open letter this month calling for funders of care and support work, including Te Whatu Ora, to stop unjust delays to pay equity for care and support workers.

The letter has been signed by more than 5000 people including Kristine Bartlett, Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali’I Dr Karanina Sumeo, and groups like Auckland Women’s Centre, Grey Power, and Alzheimer’s New Zealand.

"We’re celebrating the 65,000 people, mostly women, doing this work on this historic day. We’re asking people to show their support for care and support workers by signing the open letter calling on their pay equity claim to be funded, and for the delays to end," says McKillop.

"We look forward to meeting with the new Government to efficiently progress pay equity for care and support workers," Woolley concludes.

About 300 workers employed at Whakarongorau Aotearoa Telehealth members continue with their struggle for fair wages and respect from their employer. The workers are members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) and the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA).

Despite mediation following their first strike on 16 September, Sunday will see yet another round of industrial action following a ratification ballot this week where members voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest offer from Whakarongorau and down tools.

The strike for 24 hours starts from 5pm on Sunday 8 October to 5pm Monday 9 October.

NZNO delegate Bruce Tomlinson said the mediation ordered by the Employment Court during Whakarongorau’s attempt to interdict the first strike had made little difference.

"We entered the mediation in good faith with the hope that the employer would make a decent wage offer, and while there were some good improvements on offer for some workers, this ultimately did not materialise.

"This strike is really about the workers getting paid a fair wage. Quite frankly we’re asking for a cost-of-living increase, but their new offer is not even close to that."

PSA delegate Jayne McQuarrie.said: "If workers can’t meet their own financial, physical, and mental health needs, how can they come to work each day ready to support the needs of our country?"

Tomlinson said better wages would help with retention of staff as the situation at Whakarongorau was reaching a crisis point with workers quitting in droves for better paying jobs.

"As an example, since the last strike in mid-September five people from the mental health team alone had resigned their positions - all for more money elsewhere.

"How do you expect to continue to run these services when our members are leaving for higher pay?"

He said Whakarongorau’s admission that it did show a surplus of about $7m in 2021/22 but failed to invest in staff retention or recruitment only highlighted the issue which led to this impasse and subsequently two strikes.

"It only exposes where employees’ wellbeing sits on Whakarongarau’s list of priorities."

Although the numbers going on strike might seem smaller, the impact was much wider as Whakarongorau workers provide immediate support to everyday people all across the country through services like Healthline, 1737 Need to Talk?, Ambulance Secondary Triage, National Poisons Centre, GP After Hours, Earlier Mental Health Response, Shine Domestic Abuse Helpline, Diver Emergency Service Hotline, NZ Defence Force Mental Health Line among many others.

"We are essentially the frontline of the frontline staff. Our members are passionate about their work and want to keep being the voice on the end of the line 24 hours a day, seven days a week," McQuarrie said.

NZNO and PSA remain open to further negotiations. The strikes take place near the Whakarongorau offices in Auckland (25 College Hill, Freeman’s Bay), Wellington (36 Customhouse Quay) and Christchurch (395 Madras Street).

New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) midwives covered by the Midwives Pay Equity claim voted overwhelmingly to accept a final proposed settlement agreement from Te Whatu Ora.

The ballot which closed at noon today also included Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) members.

NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter said this was a major milestone in the history of midwifery in Aotearoa New Zealand and was a long overdue step towards addressing a significant gender-based inequality midwives faced in their work every day.

"It is also just a beginning, and we look forward to working with Te Whatu Ora to continue addressing all the gender-based discriminations nurses, health care assistants, midwives and kaimahi hauora face."

NZNO would also like to acknowledge Minister Ayesha Verrall’s initiative in bringing this claim to settlement as she did in the Te Whatu Ora nursing Pay Equity, Paul Goulter said.

The settlement agreed today includes an additional lump sum of $15,000 pro-rated for those employed during 1 January 2020 to 3 April 2023, and increases on the hourly rate which will be back dated to 4 April 2022. An interim payment was ratified at the end of June and those payments have been made to midwives.

The outcome of the Pay Equity process will now become part of the collective agreement negotiations with Te Whatu Ora.

Paul Goulter said the next step was Pay Parity as the need across all nursing and midwifery sectors was well-established.

"We will not rest until it is achieved. We know that midwives who are not covered by the Te Whatu Ora Pay Equity settlement will be watching this outcome with keen interest.

"Pay Parity is a matter of wage justice and essential to NZNO’s Maranga Mai! campaign which calls for every nurse everywhere to be paid the same based on their experience and qualifications." 

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 3 October 2023

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says the National Party’s new health policies announced today ring hollow because they don’t address the missing workforce needed to deliver them.

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said there was nothing new in what National announced and that the policies, while laudable in themselves, presupposed there were sufficient health staff available to deliver them.

“Increasing maternity services is a great idea, but how are you going to do that without the nurses and midwives to support new and expecting mothers?

“Increasing clinical training placements is also great, but what will National do to make nursing and other health worker training more attractive – other than student loan payoffs that come too late to really help struggling nursing students?”

Ms Nuku said recruiting and retaining nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora is the ‘make or break’ behind any health policy and that National is conspicuously quiet on how it will urgently recruit 4000 nurses or respond to the needs of frontline staff so they will stay in their jobs.

“Christopher Luxon has said National ‘will be doing everything [they] can to boost the health workforce,’ but very little beyond that.

“What about funded free training for nursing students so they don’t start work with a massive debt in the first place? What about more Māori and Pasifika nurses so people receive culturally appropriate care and need health services less?

“What about decent wages and Pay Parity across the health system so every nurse everywhere is equally valued and earns the same according to their experience and qualifications? What about mandated staff-to-patient ratios to help ensure the safety of nurses and the people they care for?”

She said health should be at the top of discussion this election because the system is hanging by a thread and will fall apart unless more nurses are found and/or kept.

“That has serious implications for the health care we and our loved ones receive, and we need to be putting concrete solutions in place now. The best health policy in the world will fail miserably without the workforce in place to support it.”

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Media enquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617 | media@nzno.org.nz

An ailing health sector needs to be nursed back from a full-blown crisis by whichever political party claims the seat of power in next month’s general election, nurses say.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki Aotearoa (NZNO) has released its Election Scorecard which provides insight into how its members, who are on the frontlines of the health crisis, see the different parties on the eve of voting opening next week.

Wellington-based veteran registered nurse Helen said while nurses appreciated the progress made by Labour there was still much work to be done to reverse the damage.

"Labour has a good Health Minister, but she needs to be braver, advocate for the health workers and lead the way to better health outcomes for all."

Auckland-based registered nurse Dawn felt more work needed to be done by Labour to increase the nursing workforce. "Currently we are facing challenges with ever increasing workloads without increasing resources."

Aged care nurse Anita is distrustful of National saying the party did not have the best track record in health spending or supporting health workers.

"National has a terrible track record with healthcare. The pay increases offered under the last National government were lower than inflation during their term, so nurses essentially had a pay decrease."

Keelan is concerned that neither major party has a plan to fully address the large pay disparity for nurses working for Māori and Iwi providers.

"Why does National continue to ignore Pay Parity for nurses who work for Iwi and Māori providers? National took over after the 2008 elections and did nothing for Māori nurses working for their Iwi or Māori providers during that whole time they were in power."

Plans by National and Act to disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora are also of particular concern to nurses.

"Both Act and National party have said they will disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora which would neglect their responsibilities to the treaty. Māori were assured equal rights and yet have poorer health outcomes and shorter lifespans than non-Māori. To meet treaty obligations Te Aka Whai Ora really needs to stay," Anita said.

However, Keelan praised Te Pati Māori for committing to additional funding for Te Aka Whai Ora and supporting Māori nurses.

"I love the determination of the Māori Party to improve working conditions and pay for Māori nurses and health for Māori across the country."

Helen also saw Green policies as positive and the party as supportive of health workers.

"I have appreciated the support from several Green MPs who have stood beside the nurses at our rallies and spoken up in the House advocating for health workers and improving our health system."

NZNO President Anne Daniels said the responses showed common concerns but also similar hopes for improvements in the health sector.

"We have been appealing to politicians from all parties to make the current health crisis and more especially the workforce crisis a priority in the upcoming elections," she said.

"Nurses and healthcare workers vote. They are on the front line of a health system in crisis and are looking to see which parties have a credible plan to fix our health system for our health workers and the communities we care for. That’s why today we are releasing a health policy election scorecard to help inform nurses as they head to the ballot box - who will deliver the nurse we need?"

Find the election scorecard here

A young Pasifika male nurse has been recognised as New Zealand's Young Nurse of the year.

John Fa’ukafa was presented with his award at the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Toputanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki Aotearoa (NZNO) Annual General Meeting and Conference dinner last night. (20 September)

Fa’ukafa, of Tongan whakapapa, is a 29-year-old registered nurse at the Adult Sexual Health Service and Pohutukawa Clinic - Te Toka Tumai in Auckland.

His nominators said John always views the service from the patient perspective, finding ways to reduce the barriers to being seen.

He has been described as a person who combines a professional approach with his authentic self, bringing out the best in other nursing staff by being warm, supportive, and honest.

"John consistently offers help to every other member of the wider multidisciplinary team. His generosity of spirit improves the working lives of everyone around him; doctors, receptionists/schedulers, nurses, cleaners, psychologists, and baristas."

They also admire Fa’ukafa for his courage and resilience in breaking through the stigma of being an openly gay Tongan male nurse and using his experience to support patients wholeheartedly, regardless of age, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender identity.

On top of working with patients living with HIV, John was a regular volunteer at Auckland Hospital during the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic and promptly attended a training course when the Mpox (Monkeypox) virus arrived in Aotearoa, joining a group of nurses who provide information and immunisations to gay and bisexual men at risk.

He is also the first Pasifika male nurse in New Zealand to provide after-hours forensic nursing care as part of the Pohutukawa Clinic, Adult Sexual Assault Service.

Fa’ukafa said he was lost for words and humbled when he learned he had received the award.

"It was a definite surprise that I was being nominated and even more surprising that I won the award."

He said that while he was proud of his resilience and ability to adapt and carry on, he does not allow his background, gender or sexuality to define who he is.

"For me and my nursing career, I think my perseverance and kind of my drive to do well and be well. I’ve always kind of exceeded that. As much as it’s a part of me it's not always what drives me."

He also said that he’s grateful to work alongside such a good team of people.

Fa’ukafa was chosen from several high-quality nominations and diverse nursing fields. The two runners-up were Elizabeth Hope Zizik and Tiahn Beuth-Pukepuke.

Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall will take the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) stage this Wednesday morning (10am) when she delivers the opening keynote at the Organisation’s 2023 conference at Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington.

The Minister will address more than 200 people including about 180 union members who make up a mixture nurses and health professionals from all health sectors in Aotearoa.

NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter said the Minister will be warmly welcomed by their members but with an upcoming general election our members are all interested to hear what she has to say.

"We have been appealing to politicians from all parties to make the current health crisis and more especially the workforce crisis a priority in the upcoming elections," he said.

"While we acknowledge the initiatives she has made since becoming Minister of Health, there is more that the health sector desperately needs."

Paul Goulter said health was no longer something to be put on the backburner but had become an absolutely pressing matter in Aotearoa New Zealand.

"The health system has become interwoven with every fabric of society and how we deliver our health services needs to be under the microscope.

"What we want to know is how the needs of the workforce and patients will be met."

In line with the tenets of NZNO’s Maranga Mai! every nurse everywhere deserves to be paid fairly, treated fairly, and be made to feel safe, he said.

"It also goes without saying that we also need cultural sensitivity in the sector toward Māori and Pasifika."

The NZNO Conference forms part of a two-day event that includes the AGM, a nursing awards dinner and the conference itself.

The state of the health system, impacts on Māori as both the workforce and as users of the system, and the changing role of the nurse will be discussed by a panel of experts at the conference on Thursday.

Other guest speakers include activist and lawyer Annette Sykes, and former Te Whatu Ora chairperson Rob Campbell.

The strike for a fair wage increase by NZNO Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) and PSA members employed by Whakarongorau Aotearoa New Zealand Telehealth Services is going ahead as planned.

NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter said hundreds of workers have downed tools for 24 hours from 3pm on today following a breakdown of talks with their employer.

Whakarongorau attempted to interdict the strike in light of the impending strike to commence in 3pm today. An urgent injunction hearing was held at midday.

"The injunction has only prevented Early Mental Health Response Nurses and Clinicians, Emergency Tele Triage Nurses, Emergency Tele Triage Paramedics from striking," Paul Goulter said.

"Meanwhile, the bulk of the workforce and the bulk of the union membership of NZNO and PSA need to know they will be able to strike is planned."

Whakarongorau Aotearoa New Zealand Telehealth Services’ employees are literally paying the price for poor management decisions over the past few years, and its NZNO Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) and PSA members have now had enough.

Fed-up members of the two unions, employed at Whakarongorau, will down tools for 24 hours from 3pm on Friday following a breakdown of talks with their employer.

NZNO delegate Bruce Tomlinson said despite paying out millions to each of its shareholders - Pegasus and Procare - in the last financial year, Whakarongorau claims they have no capital to fund a fair wage increase for its employees.

"This is why we are embarking on industrial action. The decision to strike was made because we have reached our wits end."

NZNO and PSA members have been in protracted bargaining with Whakarongorau for months without any inroads.

After more than a year since the previous collective agreement expired, management has offered a paltry 2.5 percent increase for most workers, which falls far below the claim for a cost-of-living increase, Tomlinson said.

"The story is that despite having those big surpluses they cry poverty every year, promising workers a better increase the following year. This year is no different. At what point do they intend to share some of the profits created by the workers with the workers in a fair way?

"Inflation is sitting at 6 percent and they’re offering 2.5 percent, so essentially, they’re asking us again to take another loss in wages."

He said although the numbers going on strike might seem smaller, the impact was much wider as Whakarongorau workers provide immediate support to everyday people all across the country through services like Healthline, 1737 Need to Talk?, Ambulance Secondary Triage, National Poisons Centre, GP After Hours, Earlier Mental Health Response, Shine Domestic Abuse Helpline, Diver Emergency Service Hotline, NZ Defence Force Mental Health Line among many others.

"We are literally the first line in many of the services we provide. We are the voice on the other side of your calls 24 hours a day, and seven days a week."

The rallies take place at near the Whakarongorau offices in Auckland (25 College Hill, Freeman’s Bay), Wellington (36 Customhouse Quay) and Christchurch (395 Madras Street).

"You can share your message of support with #thenurseweneed," he said.

Tomlinson also called on politicians and their parties to have policies this election year to address the nursing crisis and for health to top their list of election priorities.