Health NZ confirms 377 roles cut
Health NZ has confirmed job cuts at five of its departments, including Hauora Māori services, Pacific health, procurement, planning and funding, and auditing.
However, ongoing legal action by the Public Service Association (PSA) mean some changes were still on hold.
Last month, it was reported more than 2400 jobs were on the line at Health NZ, with about half of them currently vacant.
Of those, Thursday's announcement relates to 377 roles.
Health NZ acting head of human resources Fiona McCarthy said the changes were part of its "ongoing effort toward a sustainable future for New Zealand healthcare".
While implementation of the final decisions for Hauora Māori services, audit, assurance & risk and Pacific health would begin immediately, the changes for planning, funding and outcomes and procurement and supply chain services were paused for now, due to the legal challenge.
"Notwithstanding this legal action, we decided to release these decisions out of concern for the length of time our staff have been waiting for these change processes to conclude," she said.
"Some staff have been waiting since last year and, with consultations finished in February, we felt it was fairer to all staff to release the decisions now to give people greater clarity over what our thinking is and what it might mean for them. We will continue to work with the PSA to try and resolve the legal proceedings during the coming weeks."
Thursday's announcements regard: Hauora Māori services
Pacific health
Procurement, supply chain and health technology management
Planning, funding and outcomes (the former service improvement & innovation teams)
Audit, assurance & risk
For all five services, senior leaders met with their teams and affected individuals to talk through the decisions and any next steps, McCarthy said.
"We appreciate these are difficult times for those concerned and a range of support is available." Union vows to fight on
The total number of jobs being cut was not yet clear, said the union.
A spokesperson said there would be no change in some areas, until the legal challenge was resolved.
PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the union "strongly opposes" Health NZ's final decisions.
"These decisions include the possible loss of specialists procurement, auditing and health innovation and improvement," she said. "The possible loss of these roles has been forced on Health NZ by the Government imposing cuts to our health system that will affect patients.
"We call on Government to stop these endless cuts to our health system.
"This is why we are still fighting this in the Employment Relations Authority, which is why this will not be implemented until the authority has heard and determined the matter, or the PSA and Health New Zealand have settled it by agreement."
In February, the union filed legal proceedings in the Employment Relations Authority over several proposed restructures on the grounds they breached the Code of Good Faith for the public health sector, the Employment Relations Act 2000, collective agreements and Te Mauri o Rongo - NZ Health Charter.
"We'll be making it clear to all our members that legal action is still going ahead and we strongly oppose these Health NZ changes."
Last month, the PSA agreed a settlement with Health NZ to stop the restructuring of the National Public Health Service and two directorates in the planning, funding and outcomes business unit - data and analytics, community mental health funding and investment, and data and digital Services.
Earlier Thursday, the PSA also announced further litigation against Health NZ to stop cuts to their audit, assurance and risk, people and culture, finance stage 1, and communications and engagement teams.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
Opportunities Identified To Strengthen Equitable Access To Midwifery Continuity Of Care
A new analysis commissioned by Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora, Analysis of claims under the Primary Maternity Services Notice, reinforces the vital role of the midwifery lead maternity carer (LMC) model of care in delivering quality maternity care. The report recognises that continuity of care is the standard that all pregnant women, gender diverse people and their whānau should be able to access and shows that three quarters of women receive care from an LMC across the full course of pregnancy, labour, and the postnatal period. The findings provide strong evidence for Health NZ to invest in strengthening and supporting the LMC model to ensure equitable access for whānau who don't currently receive full continuity of care. The analysis of 2022 maternity care data shows that 91.5% of women registered with an LMC in pregnancy and over 95% of LMCs are midwives. This highlights LMC midwives' commitment to meet communities' needs despite a 40% workforce shortage at that time. However, the data also highlights inequity of access to midwifery care, driven by significant workforce shortages in Auckland, Counties Manukau, and Hutt Valley. These shortages disproportionately affect Māori, Pacific, Indian, and MELAA families. The College has long been calling for targeted investment to expand access to midwifery continuity of care and to establish navigational support to register with a midwife in pregnancy. This report provides clear data supporting that call — especially in regions facing chronic midwife shortages and among communities that lack equitable access to care. 'The Kahu Taurima policy work being undertaken by Health NZ offers a critical opportunity to reimagine maternity funding and workforce strategies,' says Alison Eddy, CE of the College of Midwives. 'We have strong evidence and a dedicated midwifery workforce. Now is the time to back our maternity system with the investment it needs to deliver equitable access to continuity of care for all.' Additional information Analysis of Claims under the Primary Maternity Services Notice 1. What is this report about? The report analyses payment data under the Primary Maternity Services Notice to understand how maternity care was accessed and provided in 2022. It focuses particularly on continuity of care provided by Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs), most of whom are midwives. 2. Why was 2022 such a significant year for midwifery? In 2022, midwifery was the most acutely understaffed health profession in Aotearoa, with a documented workforce shortage of around 40%. Despite this, the majority of women still received continuous care from midwives—an achievement that deserves recognition. 3. What positive findings are highlighted in the report? • 95.2% of LMCs were midwives. • 91.5% of pregnant women were registered with an LMC. • 74% received full continuity of care from a single midwife across antenatal, birth, and postnatal care. • 89% of clients who registered with an LMC midwife received all care modules. • 93.3% of women received labour care from a midwife they had met during pregnancy. These figures are especially impressive given the workforce strain at the time. 4. Does the report show problems with access to care? Yes, but the issue is more nuanced than the framing suggests. About 8.2% of birthing women in 2022 didn't access an LMC during pregnancy. This access issue was not related to rurality, but was strongly linked to ethnicity and concentrated in a few districts: Auckland, Counties Manukau, Hutt Valley, and Marlborough. The report is not able to clarify the reasons people did not receive LMC midwifery care. 5. Is continuity of care still the standard in NZ? Yes. Despite significant system pressure, three out of four women received complete care from a single LMC midwife. Even where more than one midwife was involved, most women still received all modules of care (antenatal, birth, postnatal), showing the commitment of midwives to providing wraparound support. 6. What does the report say about postnatal care models? The report found that 10% of midwives claimed only for postnatal care, mostly in Auckland and Hutt Valley. This indicates that 90% of midwives continued to offer care across the full maternity spectrum. While some practice models split care stages, continuity remains a key feature of most midwifery practice. 7. Were there any issues with the report's data or analysis? Yes. The analysis combines data from two different sources, one of which (MAT) appears to cover only five months and ends in December. This could skew results, especially as women due over the Christmas period may be less likely to have access to full continuity. Some statistical methods and definitions (e.g. what constitutes a change of LMC) are also unclear, which may impact interpretation. 8. What are the areas for improvement? The report reveals: • Ethnic inequities in access to LMC continuity of care. • Regional variations, particularly in urban centres under workforce strain. • Opportunities to improve postnatal continuity and reduce care fragmentation. These findings point to the need for targeted, equity-focused investment to ensure improved access to the optimal model of care. 9. What does the College of Midwives recommend? We are calling for: • Sustainable investment in the midwifery workforce to ensure consistent coverage and continuity. • Targeted support in high-need areas to address inequity in access. • Funded navigational support for whānau needing to access maternity care • Funding and policy reform to protect and strengthen continuity of care models. • Recognition of the resilience and professionalism of midwives, who continue to deliver high-quality care even under pressure.
1News
a day ago
- 1News
Brown outlines Budget 2025 infrastructure spend at Auckland hospitals
Health Minister Simeon Brown has detailed how funding set aside in Budget 2025 will be used to upgrade ageing infrastructure at Auckland Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre. The third tranche of the Facilities Infrastructure Remediation Programme is part of the Government's $1 billion Budget hospital infrastructure investment. The programme seeks to identify, upgrade, and replace infrastructure that poses the greatest risk to hospital operations in the Auckland district. Speaking from Auckland City Hospital, Brown said the Government was committed to investing in critical health system infrastructure. "That includes ensuring the hospitals we rely on every day are safe, modern, and fit for purpose." ADVERTISEMENT The investment included upgrades to the high voltage power supply at Auckland Hospital, replacement of the ageing steam heating system, as well as improvements to electrical monitoring and building management systems at Auckland and Greenlane. It also included design work for the next stage of the Auckland hot water pipes replacement project, with construction on the first stage already underway. A water leak in one of the wards at the main adult building at Auckland Hospital in January saw a full shutdown in place for up to 10 hours, with bottled and hot water being delivered to patients. Brown said the replacement of the hot water pipe system in the main building at Auckland Hospital was a priority within the Health Infrastructure Plan. "This investment will help speed up delivery by funding the design work for the next stage of this project. Getting ahead on the design work now will mean we can fast-track the next stage by eight months." Health NZ would be carefully managing the work to minimise disruption to services, patients, and staff, he added. "This is about investing in the future of Auckland's health services – getting the basics right so frontline teams can keep delivering high-quality care to New Zealanders."
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Consultation on future of mental health facility Rauaroha Segar House extended
Rauaroha Segar House. Photo: Google Maps Street View Health officials have extended the consultation period about the future of an Auckland mental health facility facing closure. Health NZ has proposed shutting Rauaroha Segar House, a publicly funded intensive programme for people with long-standing or chronic mental health problems, even though staff and patients say nothing similar is available elsewhere in the North Island. Now staff are rallying to save it , and more voices are joining those calls, including a former patient. A man - who wants to remain anonymous - said he was struggling before he entered the programme. "When I first engaged with Segar House I suffered quite severe anxiety, ongoing long-term depression. "I simply wasn't really functioning. I wasn't employed. I struggled to do basic tasks like even going to the supermarket to get food." His life had now changed thanks to Segar House, he said. "In the three years since leaving Segar House I'm now self-employed. I run my own business. I'm now no longer reliant on the government for any sort of benefit. I'm completely paying my own way. I'm engaging in society. "It's difficult even to believe how much progress I've made." About 10 people go through the programme at any one time, but Health NZ said that wasn't enough. However, about six years ago criteria to enter changed, so it's only available to people who haven't worked out in other treatments. Segar House staff have made a counter proposal to Health NZ to keep the service and extend it to more people. The former patient said closing it would mean people, including trauma victims and survivors of abuse, wouldn't have access to something that worked. He said Health NZ's proposal had left him feeling despondent about its effects on those in the programme. "These are people really trying to rebuild their lives because this therapy isn't available elsewhere. "They're just going to melt away back into the background. It's just so sad. They could be really contributing to society. "They're just being abandoned." Closure would be akin to not providing care to a particular group of cancer sufferers, he said. The programme at Segar House mixed individual therapy with group work. "You're actually effectively building on a lot of skills to deal with real-world situations and a lot of the learning takes place when you see other people getting results or other people dealing with things. "You can see similarities with your own problems in other people and that really gives you an opportunity to grow." Health NZ said the proposal to close Segar House wouldn't reduce frontline staff, and redeploying them would mean their expertise was available to more people. It didn't answer questions about who it was consulting, and said it couldn't yet say when a final decision would be made. "In all other districts tangata whaiora [patients] with similar presentations are treated with individual therapy or group-based programmes, which is what we are proposing," Health NZ group director of operations for Auckland Michael Shepherd said. "The consultation process is still under way and no decision as to the proposal has been made. "While the consultation process is occurring, tangata whaiora will continue to receive the same service and support that they are currently receiving." Labour's mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. Photo: VNP/Louis Collins Labour's mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary would like health officials to go with the staff proposal and then later make a decision on the programme's viability when that's been assessed. "I've been advised that the [consultation] date has been pushed out, but nobody knows until when. "It's to give the union the opportunity to speak with the employer about the alternative business plan, which would see Segar House extend the number of clients and be able to continue with its service." Health NZ declining to say who it had consulted with didn't bode well, Leary said. "I would have hoped that the extension for the decision was so Health NZ could consult not just with themselves, but actually go to the wider community and clinicians to do a proper consultation. "The fact that they won't reveal who they've consulted with indicates to me that they haven't consulted anyone else but themselves." The Public Service Association and Association of Salaried Medical Specialists have launched an online petition to save Segar House, which has about 480 signatures so far. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
