Nursing reports

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 12 October 2023

The President of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) wants people living in Aotearoa New Zealand to vote with health in mind on Saturday.

Anne Daniels, herself an emergency department nurse at Dunedin Hospital, said health should be just as important a consideration for voters this election as the cost of living and crime.

“Health has become somewhat of a “wicked problem” in Aotearoa New Zealand because the harms are rife and there is no short-term solution.

“We need to be voting people into power now who will set the groundwork for finding 4000 more nurses in a hurry, who will reduce costs and restore health justice by finding and employing more Māori and Pasifika nurses and who have the foresight to see that funding health properly now will save the system money and resources in the long run.”

Ms Daniels said she sees the results of underfunding and the under-prioritisation of health every day in her work and in her interactions around the country with nurse and other health worker members.

“People need to realise that the long wait times and the care rationing that are currently happening will just get worse and worse. This has serious implications for everyone needing health care.”

She said nurses know what’s needed to fix the problem: more nurses; pay and conditions that attract and retain nursing staff; nurse-to-patient ratios; and culturally appropriate care for Māori and Pasifika.

“Unfortunately some political parties don’t have a real grasp of these things and do not have policies that will address them.

“Parties proposing tax cuts or the dismantling of Te Aka Whai Ora (the Māori Health Authority), for example, don’t get it at all.

“These things would only create further barriers to people already struggling to access health care in their communities or who have to suffer long unhealthy waits in the emergency department.

“Health is a massive issue this election and I hope people will have that in mind when they choose which party and candidate to back on 14 October.”

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

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 on Te Whatu Ora to stop interfering in the Care and Support Workers’ Pay Equity claim that has left 65,000 underpaid health workers waiting.

“For more than a year we have undergone a rigorous Pay Equity process. We have systematically proven and measured the undervaluation of care and support workers based on their gender,” says PSA Assistant Secretary Melissa Woolley.

The three unions filed the claim on 1 July 2022 with 15 employers that are representative of the wider care and support sector, employing around 30 percent of the workforce.

“We are disappointed that as we near the end of the process, Te Whatu Ora has interfered and overstepped its role by trying to initiate a review of work on the claim that has already been completed and received the necessary signoff,” says E tū Assistant National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh.

Pay Equity claims follow a prescribed process overseen by the Public Service Commission. Each milestone during the process is awarded appropriate signoff before advancing to the next stage and Rachel says the proposed review seeks to re-open elements of the work that have already been signed off.

“We are on the edge of a decision that would make sure care and support workers are paid fairly for what they do and that would strengthen our community-based health services. This unwarranted and damaging proposed review has significantly delayed reaching a settlement,” says caregiver and NZNO delegate Trish McKillop.

Unions have issued a legal challenge to the review.

An open letter has been launched today calling on funders to provide sufficient resources to settle the claim as soon as possible and stop the interference. The letter is supported by community organisations including Grey Power, the National Council of Women, and the Council of Trade Unions.

The situation is now urgent as the Care and Support Workers Pay Equity Settlement Act is due to expire on 31 December with no assurance of how its protections will be maintained.

“We are committed to working with the next government to ensure care and support workers receive a Pay Equity offer by the end of the year,” Melissa Woolley says.

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Further information:

• The Care and Support Workers’ Pay Equity claim covers home support workers, aged care workers, disability support workers, and mental health and addictions workers.
• Aotearoa celebrated proudly in 2017 when unions won an historic pay increase for care and support workers following landmark legal wins championed by aged care worker Kristine Bartlett. But since then, their wages have regressed back to minimum wage while the cost of living has skyrocketed.
• The open letter is here.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 5 October 2023

Nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora will come to Manurewa from all over to Auckland to picket in support of safe staffing on Thursday 5 October.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) members will congregate holding signs at 131 Hill Rd, Manurewa at 1.30pm and will also approach members of the public to talk about the importance of the health workforce this election.

Auckland NZNO delegate Ben Basevi said the point of the picket was to call on the public to vote for Health at the ballot box on 14 October.

“We are calling on the public to support those political parties that will commit to resolving the staffing crisis in health care, in particular the urgent need for 4000 more nurses.

“People, including our politicians, may not yet fully realise the impact the nursing shortage has on our health system and how this will affect their care, and the care of their loved ones and whānau when they need it.

“The incoming Government, no matter what its composition, must take urgent action to reduce the nursing shortage. That means making the profession attractive to new students, and addressing frontline needs to ensure we keep the nurses we already have.”

He said parties needed to develop policies around issues such as more Māori and Pasifika nurses so people get culturally appropriate care and need the health system less; funded free training for nursing students so they don’t start work with a massive debt; decent wages and Pay Parity across the health system so every nurse everywhere is equally valued; and legally mandated staff-to-patient ratios to help ensure the safety of nurses and the people they care for.

NZNO’s scorecard of political parties’ health policies* will be distributed from a stall at the picket and will also be handed to members of the public in one-on-one conversations.

“We’ll be encouraging people to enrol and vote with health foremost in their minds because we simply cannot carry on as we are,” Ben Basevi said.

“People need to enrol and vote for the good of their whānau and communities.”

The picket is expected to conclude at around 3.30pm.

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* NZNO’s political scorecard is available at: https://maranga-mai.nzno.org.nz/scorecard.

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

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

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 13 September 2023

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) welcomes the plan to grow the health workforce announced by Health Minister Ayesha Verrall and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins today, but says even bolder action is required to fix the health crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand.

NZNO President Anne Daniels said there is much in the announced policy that resonates with what nurses have been campaigning for.

“The plan to grow the workforce for both doctors and nurses is laudable, as is the recognition that paying nurses and midwives well, and improving their working conditions, is crucial to retaining them.

“However, we need at least 4000 more nurses right now, as many are still leaving the profession or are due to retire. 700 per year starting next year is just not going to fix the problem quickly enough and nurses’ ability to provide adequate care will just continue to decline.

On the need for free training to attract more nursing students, Ms Daniels said she noted the plan includes opportunities at least for nurses to earn as they learn.

“That’s not free training but we look forward to clarification on exactly what it might mean.”

Ms Daniels said the plan to grow the Māori and Pasifika nursing workforce was also welcome and important.

“It is unjust and contrary to te Tiriti that we are unable to provide culturally appropriate care to Māori and Pasifika. This has left them disenfranchised from the health system, which costs us all more in the long run.

“More Māori nurses are essential to Māori having self-determination in health, and the skills and the cultural knowledge and experience Māori (and Pasifika) nurses bring with them is beyond value.

“But we want to see te Tiriti upheld in every area of the health system so those nurses are free to act in a culturally appropriate way across the entire context of their work.”

She said NZNO did not support increasing overseas recruitment of health professionals.

“Our focus should be on growing our own health workforce instead of poaching nurses from poorer countries where they are sorely needed. And if we remain overly dependent on internationally qualified nurses, we run the risk of having our supply cut off again should there be another global pandemic.”

However, Ms Daniels said she wanted to acknowledge the mahi of Health Minister Ayesha Verrall.

“I would like to thank the Minister for admitting there are serious problems in health and for her commitment to continue working with the sector to address those issues. NZNO is also keen for that dialogue to continue.”

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

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 8 September 2023

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) wants more detail from campaigning political parties about how they will urgently fund 4000 more nurses, especially those who are Māori and Pasifika.

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said at least 4000 nurses were needed tomorrow, but that any recruitment initiatives must be focused on having more Māori and Pasifika nurses, midwives and health care assistants in place.

“We have a health system based on western models from which many Māori and Pasifika people feel culturally alienated. This means they are much more likely to seek health care late, or not at all.

“That’s a tragedy, but denying Māori and Pasifika culturally appropriate care also puts a greater strain on the health system’s resources through longer than necessary treatment and longer hospital stays. Those are resources that could be used to fund more beds or pay wages for more nurses.”

The most recent Nursing Council statistics indicate that Māori (17.4 percent of the population) make up just 7 percent of the nursing workforce. Pasifika (8 percent of the population) make up just 4 percent.

Ms Nuku says increasing these numbers significantly will result in care across the health system that is culturally appropriate and that will lead to increased (and earlier) Māori and Pasifika engagement with services. And this will significantly reduce the economic health burden.

“We need also to remember that upholding te Tiriti o Waitangi firmly across the health system is part of the obligation for Māori to have self-determination over their own health and wellbeing and to achieve equitable health outcomes. Pasifika are also entitled to culturally appropriate care.

“We cannot achieve these things without more Māori and Pasifika nurses.”

She said to grow nursing numbers we will also need to address the nursing student problem.

“By the third year of study 25 percent of nursing students drop out overall – mostly due to financial hardship. That figure is 33 percent for Māori and 37 percent for Pasifika.  

“One way of attracting nursing students would be funded free training for them, and to have their work placements paid. Dropout figures would fall and the number of new nurses would rise more quickly over time.

“We do this for much-needed trade apprentices, so why not for nurses? Surely that’s a policy gap any political party with a modicum of courage could grab!”

Ms Nuku says she wonders how many political parties really grasp how bad things will get in the next few years if these problems aren’t addressed.

“I would love to hear more from political parties about just how they will find the courage to fund more nurses more quickly, particularly Māori and Pasifika.

“These are real problems and I want to know just what each party intends to do about them.”

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

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 5 September 2023

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) supports the senior doctors and dentists on strike today for wage increases that reflect real rises in the cost of living.

NZNO President Anne Daniels said asking senior doctors and dentists to take a pay cut by not offering increases that match the CPI is both unfair and short-sighted.

“We are at a time when health professionals are leaving their jobs at unprecedented rates.

“The work is endless, the pressures are high and the prospect of burnout is very real. Refusing fair pay lifts is just going to exacerbate the problem, causing more doctors to leave or retire early.

“It’s hard enough right now to get an appointment with a doctor and this has already resulted in massive pressures on emergency departments, which affects us all. Te Whatu Ora’s penny-pinching on wages will just end up costing the health system more in terms of pressure on other workers and remaining resources.”

Ms Daniels said that, like nurses, senior doctors and dentists care about their patients and they are going on strike for the good of their profession’s future. Wages that properly recognise the qualifications and contributions of senior doctors in the public system – by at least matching the inflation rate – will help reduce the number leaving for overseas or private sector positions.

“NZNO calls on Te Whatu Ora to show more foresight. Asking senior doctors and dentists to take a pay cut will just further reduce the availability of health services to everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Our whānau, our loved ones and our communities need their doctors and dentists. Give them at least the cost of living so more will stay.”

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

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 7 August 2023

In a ballot closing at noon today, members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) voted to accept the latest collective agreement proposed settlement from Te Whatu Ora.

As a result a 24-hour strike by NZNO’s roughly 35,000 Te Whatu Ora members planned to start 7am on Wednesday 9 August will not go ahead.

NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter said there was a high level of member participation in the ballot, but that the result, while still clear, was reasonably close.

“While a majority of members accepted the offer, the closeness of the vote shows there remains a serious level of concern and discontent amongst members.

“Many members see the offer as not helping address the shortage of nurses that is severely impacting on the quality of care they can provide for their unwell patients. It is pretty light on important issues such as health and safety at work and minimum staff to patient ratios.

“It doesn’t provide a wage rise that meets the cost of living either.”

Paul Goulter said it was clear that members strongly believe a lot still needed to change.

“Bargaining for the next collective agreement will start early next year and we will continue making health and safety, safe staffing, nurse-to-patient ratios and cost of living increases our focus. These issues remain vitally important to our members, and we will come out fighting on them.”

He said the ratification ballot on the proposed collective agreement settlement should not be confused with the Pay Equity settlement which was accepted by members last week.

“Pay Equity is a one-time adjustment to wage levels meant to address historic sex-based discrimination against people who work in a female-dominated profession. Collective agreements are re-negotiated every few years and are focused on ongoing pay and working conditions.”

Paul Goulter said the public can show their support for nurses by signing NZNO’s ‘We need nurses’ petition and participating in NZNO’s #thenurseweneed campaign activities as they occur.

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Media enquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 19 July 2023

Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO), who are employed by Te Whatu Ora, have voted overwhelmingly in support of a 24-hour strike on 9-10 August.

NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter says the strike ballot, which closed at noon today, had very high member participation and the result was absolutely decisive.

“Members demanded this ballot because they are extremely frustrated at the lack of progress and slow responses from Te Whatu Ora in negotiations, which have been going on since the current agreement expired back in October.

“Despite the extremely difficult and unsafe working environment they face every day in our public hospitals and worksites, which has been well-covered in the media, they do not feel they are being heard or taken seriously.

“To date, claims in negotiations around safer staffing practices, nurse to patient ratios and health and safety have pretty much fallen on deaf ears, and these members have simply had enough.”

Paul Goulter said nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora are always extremely reluctant to strike because of the impact it has on patients.

“But there comes a point when they decide they have to strike for the very wellbeing of those patients, whose health and everyday care is jeopardised by unsafe staffing levels that Te Whatu Ora refuses to address.”

He said that, as with any strike action in the public arena, NZNO members will work with Te Whatu Ora and do their best to provide life preserving services at all hospitals and worksites for the duration of the strike.

The strike ballot was organised before the latest offer was received from Te Whatu Ora yesterday, Paul Goulter said.

He said the union will proceed with the strike unless members vote to ratify the recently received offer. A ratification vote on the offer will open on 1 August and close on 7 August.

A strike notice will be issued to Te Whatu Ora on Monday 24 July. The strike will start at 7am on 9 August 2023 and end at 7am on 10 August 2023 at every site where Te Whatu Ora provides health care services or hospital care services.

Meanwhile, NZNO Te Whatu Ora members are also set to vote on a Pay Equity offer from the Government and Te Whatu Ora, which, Paul Goulter says, is meant to address long-standing gender discrimination.

“Pay Equity is an entirely separate process from collective agreement negotiations because it addresses an historic undervaluation of a female-dominated profession that simply has to be corrected.”

The Pay Equity ratification ballot will open on 24 July and close on 31 July.

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

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 18 July 2023

Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO), who are employed by Te Whatu Ora, have received a new collective agreement offer from their employer. The offer was received in the latest round of negotiations on 17 July.

NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter says the offer is an improvement over the last one, but there are still significant gaps between the offer and what members have claimed around issues of pay, safe staffing and health and safety.

“Our processes are democratic, and it will be up to the 35,000 or so of our members who work for Te Whatu Ora to decide collectively whether it is good enough.”

The offer comes a day before a ballot for 24 hour strike action on 9-10 August by Te Whatu Ora members is due to close (at midday on 19 July). Paul Goulter said that if members vote in favour of the strike, it will go ahead unless members vote to ratify the recently received offer. A ratification vote on the offer will take place during the first week of August.

“Members had become fed up at the lack of bargaining progress. The current agreement expired in October and Te Whatu Ora didn’t even produce a first offer on anything until March. Since then progress has remained excruciatingly slow, and that is why members demanded a strike ballot.”

Meanwhile, NZNO Te Whatu Ora members are also set to vote on a Pay Equity offer from the Government and Te Whatu Ora, which, Paul Goulter says, is meant to address long-standing gender discrimination.

“Pay Equity is actually an entirely separate process from collective agreement negotiations.”

The Pay Equity ratification ballot will open on 24 July and close on 31 July. The collective agreement ratification ballot will open on 1 August and close on 7 August.

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