Health NZ confirms 377 roles cut, despite ongoing legal challenge
Health NZ say the cuts are part of its "ongoing effort toward a sustainable future for New Zealand healthcare".
Photo:
RNZ
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.
This week, RNZ reported that 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:
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."
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.
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