Nursing reports

6 June 2013:

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is disappointed that a Bill that will remove important pay and condition protections for working New Zealanders passed its first reading last night.

Nurse and NZNO delegate Grant Brookes says, “The changes proposed in this Bill are bad medicine for workers and the economy. We are concerned that although the changes are being touted by the Government as moderate “technical fixes”, what they will actually do is force wages and conditions down.”

“The rights of workers will be stripped away. Our most vulnerable workers will be worse off with the removal of protections in section 6A. New workers can expect less than the rate in the collective agreement for the first 30 days, employers can refuse to conclude collective pay negotiations and the ability of workers to use collective power to balance employer power in pay negotiations will be reduced.”

Erin Kennedy is another nurse and NZNO delegate who opposes the changes, “The changes will allow a few bad employers to drive down wages and conditions over the whole economy. Instead of this race to the bottom, what New Zealand needs is fair and equitable employment legislation. NZNO will be joining others to campaign against the changes and show that another way is possible.”

“Some will say that workers have nothing to fear but we disagree; this legislation is creating an unfair advantage for employers. When workers have to rely on the ‘kindness’ of employers, rather than on fair and solid law, we are all in trouble,” Kennedy says.

“What New Zealand needs is a strong, productive economy based on decent wages and working conditions. This Bill is bad medicine. ”

2 June 2013:

NZNO strongly endorses the Green Party’s $30 million plan, announced in Christchurch today, to put a nurse in every low decile school in the country, as part of its strategy to eliminate child poverty.

“There is abundant evidence that children’s health improves, if they can get school-based nursing services,” NZNO’s nursing policy adviser/researcher Dr Jill Clendon said. “New Zealand research shows that if a nurse can assess and focus care on the specific needs of children and whānau in a school community, health outcomes improve.”

Dr Clendon said the Green Party’s plan demonstrated it understood the vital role of nurses in improving both access to health care and health outcomes, particularly for the most disadvantaged.

The plan proposes a national school nursing framework with a dedicated public health nurse working in every decile one to three primary and intermediate school in the country, providing health care for around 112,000 children.

Dr Clendon said NZNO’s submission to the Government’s Green Paper on Vulnerable Children recommended a nurse in every school and urged cross-party agreement on child health and well-being.

“Child poverty is a societal issue and responsibility for eliminating it should be shared. Funding nurses to practise in low decile schools addresses some of the links between poverty, ill health and educational underachievement,” she said.

10 May 2013:

Nurses all around the country are preparing to celebrate International Nurses Day on Sunday 12 May. This year’s theme is Closing the Gap: the Millennium Development Goals: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, which are internationally recognised health related goals.

International Nurses Day is marked on the anniversary of Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale's birthday and is a chance for the public to recognise the important work nurses do.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) president, Marion Guy says, “As the largest health care profession in the world, there is no doubt that nurses are the key to achieving healthy populations. In New Zealand nurses are particularly well placed to develop innovative ways of providing health care to the communities who need it the most.”

“Nurses are educated to understand the complex nature of maintaining health and wellness, and the impact of psychosocial and socio-economic factors such as poverty, unemployment and ethnicity. They understand well-being as being much more than just a band-aid solution to a set of symptoms. Nurses are integral to ensuring health issues are identified early and everybody in New Zealand gets the care they need, when they need it.

NZNO kaiwhakahaere, Kerri Nuku says, “NZNO thanks each and every nurse. We can’t imagine a world without you and we are proud to support your work. Nurses and every member of the health care team work tirelessly every day to get the healthy future we all deserve. A healthy New Zealand needs a good health service and a more equal society. The more equal our society is, the healthier we will all be.”

“Thank you nurses, we can’t get there without you!”

3 May 2013:

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) celebrates International Day of the Midwife on Sunday 5 May.

NZNO is proud to represent over 650 New Zealand midwives who support thousands of women every year through pregnancy and birth. The organisation advocates for all women to have access to midwifery services when and where they are needed. The theme for International Midwives Day is ‘the world needs midwives now more than ever’.

The care midwives provide through education and skilled support to pregnant women, through antenatal care, labour and into the early postnatal period is critical for healthy mothers and babies. New Zealand has a unique model of maternity care that has the partnership between the woman and her midwife at its centre.

NZNO professional nursing adviser, Kate Weston says “Access to midwifery services is essential. Timely access to midwifery care is so important. Early engagement with a midwife with ongoing care through pregnancy protects and promotes positive outcomes for mothers, babies and families.”

“Many rural and provincial maternity services are being regionalised. The prospect of women travelling long distances for care, relocating weeks ahead of their baby's due date, separating from family and support people and not knowing whether their midwife will be available in a different city creates significant stress and is a barrier to access,” says Weston.

“Women need to be able to access services close to their own home. NZNO continues to work with other groups in the sector to promote safe staffing levels and to promote timely access to high quality services.”

Over 340,000 women worldwide die each year, with millions more suffering infection and disability, as a result of preventable maternal causes, with 90 percent of those deaths occurring in developing countries. NZNO is working to reduce maternal and infant mortality in New Zealand by advocating for equitable access to a midwife for all pregnant women.

26 April 2013:

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says the changes to employment law announced today will be bad news for workers and the economy.

The changes include a change to the Employment Relations Act so that employers are not required to conclude a collective agreement, allowing employers to opt out of multi-employer bargaining and removing the 30-day rule that allows new workers to be covered by a collective agreement for the first 30 days of their employment.

NZNO delegate Erin Kennedy says, “These changes are not about fairness or flexibility. They are entirely about reducing workers’ rights. Allowing employers to opt out of multi-employer agreements will increase costs, drive wages down and reduce efficiencies.”

“Currently all 20 district health boards (DHBs) negotiate a multi-employer collective agreement with unions. The agreement ensures workers throughout the country receive the same pay and conditions and DHBs receive the benefits and efficiencies of working together.”

“It seems strange that the Government has spent the last four years telling the health sector to centralise services to gain efficiencies and yet these changes will allow the opposite to happen. New Zealand’s health system relies on a nationwide approach to providing care. Allowing the fragmentation of employees’ terms and conditions will result in a fragmented and stressed health system.”

“DHBs, NZNO and other unions have a lot invested in being able to bargain fairly. This attack on workers’ rights by the Government is putting our good faith bargaining relationship at risk,” Kennedy says.

“What New Zealand needs is a strong, productive economy based on decent wages and working conditions. These changes to legislation will erode workers’ rights and drive down wages and conditions. They are bad faith law. ”

26 March 2013: Former chief executive of Whanganui District Health Board (DHB) and current senior adviser in the mental health improvement group at the Ministry of Health, Memo Musa, is the New Zealand Nurses Organisation’s new chief executive.

Announcing his appointment today, NZNO president Marion Guy and kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said Musa, who trained as a mental health nurse in the United Kingdom, had a strong nursing and clinical background and a high level of credibility.

“He brings with him a wealth of experience and understanding of nursing, and he believes nursing is critical for the development of quality health delivery services in New Zealand,” Guy and Nuku said. 

Musa said he was attracted to the position as it offered the chance to lead a peak professional nursing body. “Nursing is my background. Whether in management or policy roles, I am interested in promoting the profession of nursing, its research, education and professional development, as it is the biggest workforce in health. I am looking forward to taking up this role at a challenging time in the health sector. I want to ensure the nursing profession remains heard and provides leadership at all levels in the health sector.”

He was also attracted to the role because of NZNO’s large and strong membership.

As a manager of health services, he has had experience of working with unions. “I understand the importance of healthy working environments, safe staffing and good clinical and professional practice.”

He believes NZNO’s vision Freed to Care, Proud to Nurse, is a strong foundation for the organisation. “I would like to build on that. My vision for NZNO is to inspire, progress and promote nursing expertise and care through learning and advocacy services.  I am looking forward to working with the board and listening to what members want in terms of NZNO’s vision and strategic goals.”

Musa was born in Zimbabwe, completed his academic education in the UK, worked in a variety of mental health nursing and management positions there and came to New Zealand in 1999 to take up the position of general manager, mental health services, at the then Good Health Wanganui. He became chief executive of Whanganui DHB in  2001, serving in that role until July 2008. Since late 2009, he has worked in mental health in the Ministry, assuming the role senior adviser in September 2009. He has, at times, taken on the roles of   acting group manager, mental health service improvement group, and acting director of mental health.

He starts work with NZNO in mid-May. He replaces Geoff Annals.

19 March 2013: The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is extremely disappointed and disturbed that the High Court has overturned a Coroner’s decision and named individual health professionals. NZNO agrees with the ASMS that naming the individuals involved in his care sets a dangerous precedent.

NZNO acting professional services manager, Hilary Graham-Smith says, “The Coroner found that systems failure led to the tragic death of Zachary Gravatt. If the problem is systemic, the solution should be systemic as well. Naming and shaming individuals is not conducive to positive change.”

“The nursing practice of the three nurses named was never called into question and even though the High Court judgment makes that clear, it certainly isn’t being reported that way.”

“NZNO is also surprised to hear that there is a view that a ‘veil of secrecy’ lies over the NZ health system. The only secret we would like to have answered to why the family of Zachary Gravatt negotiated a private agreement with the currently practicing doctor to keep his or her name suppressed whilst continuing to push for the release of the nurses’ names,” Graham-Smith says.

18 March 2013: As part of its transition from a rules-based organisation to one governed by a constitution, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is pleased to welcome its joint heads who will work closely with the chief executive officer. Kaiwhakahaere, Kerri Nuku and incoming president, Marion Guy commenced their joint leadership positions last week.

NZNO is committed to strengthening its bicultural partnership by giving effect to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Kaiwhakahaere o Runanga o Aoteroa NZNO, Kerri Nuku says, “This is an exciting time for NZNO. We have worked extremely hard to develop a model of partnership that upholds the mana of every member of NZNO. I am very proud that we have reached a place where tikanga and kawa underpins the way we work together.”

“Te Runanga’s whakatauki is “Ko Tāku Manawa ko tāu Manawa: from my heart to your heart” and it sums up well the relationships we are building and the way we are building them, “Nuku says.

NZNO president, Marion Guy says, “I feel privileged to be taking up the role of NZNO president at this time. Finding ways to practically express bicultural partnership in an organisation like NZNO is both a challenge and a gift. Our 46 000 members will benefit from the collective wisdom I see around our Board and Poari tables, and I am looking forward to leading the professional and industrial organisation for nursing and health with Kerri.”

“As kaumatua Rev Leo Te Kira said, “Me haeretahi tātou mō te hauora me te oranga o ngā iwi katoa o Aotearoa: Let us journey together for the health and wellbeing of the people of Aotearoa”. I am looking forward to the journey!” Guy says.

8 March 2013: The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is joining the residents of Blenheim as they fight for health services to remain in the area. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board review of services at Wairau Hospital could result in only elective (planned) surgery being performed in Blenheim.

NZNO organiser, Carla Palmer says, “We absolutely oppose the DHB’s proposal. Every New Zealander needs to have the right health care available to them at the time and place it’s needed. Moving health services to Nelson could mean people not receiving the acute care they need in a timely manner and let’s not beat about the bush, it could mean avoidable deaths.”

“We are disappointed that the DHB is not listening to the people it serves. And we are concerned that as the largest voice for nursing in New Zealand, NZNO, has not been properly consulted either.”

“A change of this magnitude will not only cause job losses in Blenheim, it will cause extra stress on services and staff at Nelson hospital,” Palmer says.

“We urge the Nelson Marlborough DHB and the Minister of Health to make the right decision and take these options off the table. The new CEO assures us the DHB will ‘have an open mind to what the solutions will be’ – we know that will be difficult when the Government is forcing DHBs to cut millions of dollars from their budgets at the expense of core services.”

4 March 2013: The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is concerned that Government health targets plus demands to cut millions of dollars from their budgets is forcing DHBs to narrow their focus and sideline health equity for the populations they serve.

The evidence this is happening is in a report by Professor Don Matheson, who, after analysis of 60 documents from Capital and Coast District Health Board released under the Official Information Act, shows that the DHB cut a third of the primary health budget under its control without proper analysis of the effects these cuts would have on health equity.

Chair of the NZ College of Primary Health Care Nurses and nurse practitioner, Rosemary Minto says, “We are hearing of funding cuts being made to services that provide comprehensive primary (community) health care to refugees, people experiencing mental illness, and high Maori and Pacific populations. It has been hard to understand why DHBs are cutting funding to the communities who need them the most; Prof Matheson’s report answers the question.”

“DHBs are no longer ‘walking the talk’ on health equity and prioritising primary health because they are being forced to focus on extremely narrow health targets with shrinking budgets. Health equity and primary health fall off the list of priorities and become ‘easy’ to cut.”

“The results of cutting health care to the people who need it the most is damaging for individuals and communities,and increases costs in the health system. When people can’t access or can’t afford the health care they need, when they need it, they end up in hospital emergency rooms, sicker and requiring more care,” Minto says.

The 2012 New Zealand Health Survey shows that nearly a million New Zealanders experienced unmet need for primary health care in the last 12 months, with the highest level experienced by Maori women where almost half had unmet primary health care needs. 

“Narrow health targets and funding cuts are not the way to create a healthy population. A focus on effective primary health and making sure every New Zealander can access health care when they need it is the answer,” Rosemary Minto says.