
Review Highlights Under-Staffing At Nelson Hospital
The Nelson Marlborough Clinical Quality and Systems Review carried out by Te Whatu Ora was released this afternoon and has found serious issues with the management and development of the nursing workforce at Nelson Hospital.
NZNO delegate Marijke Cooper says the findings of this review go to the heart of concerns nurses are striking over next week.
"Te Whatu Ora is failing to resource safe staffing levels and are delaying hiring more staff because of issues with their recruitment process.
"This is having a real impact on patients because they are unable to get First Specialist Assessments. We saw in media last week concerns over ghost First Specialist Assessments at Nelson," she says.
The review also found Nelson Hospital needs to do more to upskill their nurses.
"Requests from nursing staff to upskill are being frequently turned down. The hiring of high-calibre nursing staff is being limited because of an inflexible approach to part-time work.
"Nelson is also underinvesting in advanced nurse practice roles compared to other parts of New Zealand.
"Te Whatu Ora needs to commit to building a sustainable and high-skilled home-grown nursing workforce by upskilling nurses and hiring graduate nurses."
Marijke Cooper says NZNO is concerned that despite the review raising concerns about poor communication practices at Nelson Hospital, none of our delegates are aware of any staff being consulted on it.
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RNZ News
17 hours ago
- RNZ News
What you need to know about why nurses are striking
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"It is estimated that 4300 planned procedures and specialist appointments would have to be postponed should the 24-hour strike action on 30 and 31 July go ahead," Dr Bramley said. Aged residential care, St John Ambulance, GPs and hospice services are not affected by the strike and will carry on as normal. Anyone unsure about whether they need emergency department care should contact their GP or call Healthline 0800 611 116 for free advice. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The union does not rule out further action if their concerns aren't met, Goulter said. "Our members have indicated this strike is just the beginning and they are in it for the long haul." "Our members don't take this action lightly. They are striking because they are exasperated with being short-staffed and their patients being put at risk because Te Whatu Ora refuses to resource safe staffing levels and instead staffs to an arbitrary budget set by the government. "The public know that when there aren't enough nurses, patients wait longer to get the care they need. Critical observations and treatments may be delayed, errors are more likely and health outcomes worsen. A lack of nurses has reduced numbers of elective surgeries for years and contributed to longer waiting times and the current backlog. "Any member of the public who has been to a hospital recently knows the reality for patients and the nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora who care for them." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.


NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Over 100 nurses and supporters rally outside Gisborne Hospital for nationwide strike
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1News
2 days ago
- 1News
Nurses across the country strike over 'dire' staffing situation
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