Latest news with #staffshortages
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
King Charles' camp responds after staff quit Highgrove over demands
King Charles' camp has rejected claims of a toxic workplace environment at his estate, Highgrove. It comes following a mass exodus where 11 of the monarch's 12 full-time gardeners quit the lavish grounds over the past three years, according to the New York Post. Charles, 76, was left licking his wounds after multiple frustrated staffers claimed they were 'overwhelmed and underpaid' — allegations confirmed by a 2023 investigation commissioned by the King's Foundation, which manages Highgrove's gardens, the Sunday Times reported. After workers' allegations came to light this week — accusing His Majesty of spewing out unattainable demands, in addition to staff shortages, low wages and even lower morale — insiders from Charles' camp have scoffed at the claims. 'There seems to be quite a few disgruntled former staff members who are out to make trouble for the King's Foundation,' a source close to the king told Vanity Fair. 'The king loves Highgrove and is very proud of everything he has created here,' the insider said of the estate, which Charles purchased in 1980. 'Skimpy bikinis': Royals' shock lewd venues Disgruntled or not, an investigation conducted by independent HR consultancy WorkNest had found evidence of 'staff shortages' and 'poor' management practices, confirming that pay was 'an issue for recruitment and retention.' Despite generating more than $US8 million ($A12.1 million) in income last financial year — higher than any other royal residence — the gardens continue to operate with minimal resources, The Post was told. Still, the probe's discoveries, coupled with the tallying complaints, have been refuted by some of the king's former staffers, including his former senior gardener Jack Stooks. Stooks, who worked at Highgrove for more than 20 years, exclusively told The Post that while Charles does oversee the King's Foundation and its employees, the claims against him are 'unfair'. 'I think the stance toward the king is unfair,' Stooks told The Post, saying he's never had an issue with Charles. 'I don't think this should be aimed quite at him. He's employed the foundation, and, yes, he's part of the foundation, but they are running the garden.' 'The king is putting his trust in them to run it — if they're running it incorrectly or unsuitably, that's not actually on the king, it's on them,' he continued. 'If there are problems, the king can now fix these, and I'm sure that's exactly what he'll now be doing as a result.' The mass resignations followed the departure of one staffer who had worked for the king at Highgrove for decades. Another gardener 'failed his probation after revealing a lack of knowledge about a particular flower, instantly losing Charles' trust,' the Times reported. 'Don't put that man in front of me again,' Charles allegedly said of the staffer. Following the allegations revealed this week, the King's Foundation told The Post that it takes 'staff welfare extremely seriously'. 'We strive to be an exemplary employer,' a spokesperson for the organisation said. 'We are proud to regularly report very high satisfaction rates in our annual staff survey.' 'Our staff turnover is well below the national average, as is the number of formal grievances raised. For the gardening team at Highgrove specifically, we regularly review guidance from the Professional Gardeners Guild for pay benchmarking.' 'Highgrove has also seen many positive developments since the King's Foundation became the charitable custodian of the gardens,' the statement went on. 'Since 2022, the operating profit has more than doubled, a new education facility teaching traditional heritage skills to hundreds of students has been established, and visitor numbers continue to reach over 40,000 annually.'
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Advocates work to put health care on the radar as premiers meet in Ontario
OTTAWA — Health-care advocacy groups and associations representing doctors and nurses are in Ontario's cottage country this week, trying to ensure health care remains a top priority for premiers. The post-pandemic crisis in health care has taken centre stage at the Council of the Federation in recent years as premiers have pushed Ottawa for more funding. This year, there's a concern that staff shortages and long wait times will take a back seat as the premiers focus on trade and the economy. The Canadian Medical Association, which represents physicians, is focusing its message on the health-care system's footprint in the national economy. CMA president Dr. Margot Burnell says she will be stressing that healthy communities are essential to a healthy economy. The Canadian Nurses Association, meanwhile, is working to convince premiers to harmonize their licensing systems to break down interprovincial barriers to labour mobility. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025. Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cornwall minor injuries unit shuts for summer due to lack of staff
A minor injuries unit has temporarily closed in Cornwall due to staff shortages, health bosses have Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has said Launceston Minor Injuries Unit would remain shut for the remainder of the trust said it did not have enough staff to safely provide a seven-day-a-week Gilbert, from Healthwatch Cornwall, said: "Any loss of service is detrimental for residents and to tourists." Ms Gilbert said she hoped "other plans or provisions" were put in trust said it had recruited vacant posts, but new staff would need to complete their mandatory induction and said it had "explored a range of options to offer alternative services in the area" but it had not been existing staff would be temporarily transferred to facilities in Stratton, Liskeard or unit was also temporarily closed in 2021 due to illness in the pandemic and in 2022, again due to staff shortages.
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Exodus of gardeners upset by King Charles' red letter feedback at beloved Highgrove garden
His passion for gardening and nature is well known, but today it emerged that King Charles ' exacting standards may have ruffled more than a few feathers among staff at his beloved Highgrove House. According to reports, low pay and staff shortages, coupled with the monarch's demanding attention to detail, has prompted an exodus of gardeners employed to keep his 15-acre pride and joy in Gloucestershire in good shape. Over the past three years, 11 of the 12-strong gardening team have quit, including the head gardener and his deputy. At one stage, in March 2022, half of the gardening team were earning minimum wage, an investigation by the Sunday Times found. The King, who is known to patrol the grounds with a pair of secateurs, regularly offers feedback on the garden, writing handwritten notes to staff in red ink, expressing delight or upset at the progress of individual plants or flowers. While some workers appreciate his interventions, others told the Sunday Times they found his feedback impolite and demoralising, it is claimed. In late 2023, one member of staff filed a grievance against management claiming the gardening team were under resourced and struggling to fulfil the King's demands. The employee's complaint said some staff had developed physical injuries because they were overwhelmed with work and that there was low morale among the team. King Charles told gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh that he had enjoyed creating the gardens at Highgrove from 'scratch' over the past four decades 'There is little management of HMTK (His Majesty the King's) expectations and I know I would not be allowed to say we are understaffed,' the claim said. The gardener also alleged he was shouted at and given a dressing down by Constantine Innemee, the executive director of Highgrove, who is one of the King's most trusted advisers, when he suggested to Charles that he would need a specialist member of staff if he wanted to cultivate his magnolias in a specific way. The grievance led to an external investigation by the King's Foundation, the charitable organisation that now runs the garden. Although that inquiry found evidence of 'staff shortages' and suggested pay be reviewed if it continued to be 'an issue for recruitment and retention' of staff, the complaint about Mr Innemee's management style was not upheld. The garden at Highgrove has been King Charles' pet project for the past 45 years. In an interview with his friend, gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh, Charles previously explained that he was attracted to buy the property, in 1980, because of its 'blank canvas' garden. 'I actually planned everything myself, I did the whole thing, I chose all the plants,' the King said. 'I love evening patrol at the weekend. As I potter about I notice things and weed or prune bits off. I'm sure most people come here and think I don't do anything. But I do.' Over the past four decades the gardens have flourished, from the early kitchen garden and arboretum to the Sundial Garden, which showcases the King's favourite delphiniums, the Thyme Walk and the Islamic-inspired Carpet Garden. In the early years, Charles was selective with who he invited to his private residence but, as the gardens thrived, that changed and in the 2010's and they were opened to the public. Now more than 40,000 people visit each year. In a statement, a spokesman for The King's Foundation denied Highgrove gardeners were paid below the going rate and insisted staff turnover and employment grievances were 'well below the national average.' 'We take staff welfare extremely seriously and strive to be an exemplary employer,' he said. 'We are proud to regularly report very high satisfaction rates in our annual staff survey. For the gardening team at Highgrove specifically, we regularly review guidance from the Professional Gardeners Guild for pay benchmarking.' The spokesman also said that, since 2022, the operating profit at Highgrove had more than doubled and a new specialist education facility established to teach traditional heritage skills to students. Sources familiar with the running of Highgrove and its estate expressed surprise at the extent of the newspaper's claims and the level of vitriol in them. Historically many of the King's staff have worked in the gardens for decades, inspired by Charles' passion for them, particularly as Prince of Wales. Others have also described the King as being 'hands-on' - retreating to the estate at weekends to weed, prune, plant or mend fences - but never with any indication of personal aggression.
RNZ News
18-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Taupō clinicians plan for emergency hospital shutdown amid critical staff shortages
Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook Contingency measures drawn up by concerned Taupō Hospital clinicians include plans to move patients to Rotorua Hospital if staff shortages forced Taupō's clinic to close. The hospital, which serves a population of 40,000 people in the tourist region, has struggled to attract enough senior doctors to fill its roster, which forced workers to plan for the worst. The hospital relies on locums to fill gaps, and permanent staff take on a high portion of night and weekend work. There are 3.3 full-time-equivalent senior doctors working there permanently, out of nine funded positions to staff the emergency department and general ward. Overnight, one senior doctor is on duty to take care of the department and ward. RNZ has obtained a copy of the Escalation and Closure Plan for Taupō Hospital, which outlines what could happen if the hospital were forced to shut down due to not finding enough staff. No closures have happened, and Health NZ's top manager for the area, regional deputy chief executive Cath Cronin, has told RNZ she wouldn't allow this and was instead focused on keeping the hospital open. But closures aren't unprecedented. Last year, Westport's hospital shut its doors several times due to short staffing. The plan's introduction outlines the gravity of a closure: "Temporary closure of Taupō Hospital poses a potential risk to the population and, as such, Health NZ Lakes has a responsibility for managing the risk with a contingency plan, to safeguard the public to the best of its ability." The document said its purpose was to set out an agreed process when there weren't enough senior doctors to staff the hospital's emergency department. It said authority to consent to a closure sat with the regional deputy chief executive - Cronin - and "every possible option for covering vacant roster shifts must be exhausted" before the plan was put into action. If closure were required, contingency measures would swing into action three days before the unstaffed shift, allowing time to tell the public and other affected parties. If the emergency department were to close, but some services continue, security would be stationed at the hospital entrance with a list of patients allowed inside. A February memo from senior clinical staff to management outlined further details. The senior staff cited upcoming vacancies and difficulties in getting locums. "Consequently, we are unable to guarantee that the Taupō Hospital will be able to cover every shift in the ED or the inpatient ward. Therefore, we thought it prudent to have contingency options documented and agreed in advance, which could be employed if and when this situation arose." The memo described possible situations in which the plan would be enacted. "Although none of these scenarios are considered acceptable under normal circumstances, we may be forced to implement one or more of them to ensure continuation of service provision," it said. Two scenarios involved using doctors from Rotorua to keep open Taupō's general ward, or its ward and emergency department. A third scenario suggested closing the Taupō general ward, which usually has about 15 patients. "All inpatients requiring admission will be transferred to Rotorua, increasing the workload for Rotorua physicians and registrars/nurses." Option four was to use telehealth for emergency department patients. Option five tabled closing the department, which sees an average of 50 patients a day. This would also potentially involve telehealth, but otherwise, emergency cases would have to travel to Rotorua. The memo said risks for this were: "No access to emergency care for Taupō-Turangi communities. No onsite clinician for ward. No onsite support for birthing unit." The sixth option was the status quo, with a reliance on locums (temporary staff). This was time-consuming to sort and expensive. Emails released to RNZ show the hospital's battle to find staff. On 15 May last year, then-clinical lead Jared Bayless said there were five emergency department shifts, including four overnight ones, unstaffed in the coming week. Another email from Bayless, a month later, discussed juggling staff to cover vacancies during the week, which stretched the weekend roster thinly. There was concern that the hospital would have to operate at decreased capacity. Bayless subsequently informed emergency services about the possible staff shortfall. In other messages, Bayless stated what would happen if staffing wasn't found to cover all shifts, options that the Escalation and Closure Plan covered. A draft memo to Cronin in October from Health NZ's Lakes district group director of operations, Alan Wilson, again talked about the possibility of closure when staff couldn't be found, and outlined the risks of this, including having to rely on an already under-pressure Rotorua Hospital. The memo said $1.29 million was spent on locums for Taupō Hospital in 2023-24. It recommended changing the staffing structure away from senior doctors working 24/7, and employing more doctors to allow for round-the-clock coverage. Cronin found out about the memo from doctor unions and emailed them to say she had concerns about the issues at Taupō Hospital's emergency department and how they'd been addressed. "All discussions, planning or other communications regarding Taupō ED are now on hold." Cronin also emailed Wilson expressing her disappointment about the memo's contents and that he let it happen. "The proposed plan is not a direction I will endorse without further discussion, so don't progress any further planning or discussions with the team." However, the Escalation and Closure Plan was circulated early this year in further emails. Cronin told RNZ this week the Escalation and Closure Plan wasn't an "active plan". "My approach is always to work on plans to keep hospitals open and EDs open," she said. "This wasn't an approach that I endorsed. It got a life of its own, with the team wanting to do the right thing but not in quite the right way. "When I found out about it, I did stop that approach to making a plan to close the ED, and instead we reconvened to work together on how we keep our ED open." Cronin said she'd never been asked to consider closure, as outlined in the plan, although it was challenging to fill shifts. "But we always get there, one way or another," she said. "We always manage to cover that. We haven't had to close. "We've got a particularly tough time in the next couple of months, not only in Taupō but across the whole country. "We're getting right into the middle of winter, with lots of sick leave, but everyone's endeavouring to do what they can to maintain that access for patients." There were plenty of other mitigations before closure would even be considered. "We take that week by week when we plan, then day by day, or shift by shift if we need to." Cronin said this year she met with Taupō's medical staff weekly and would regularly check in with the lead clinician. Asked about shifting patients to Rotorua if required, Cronin said moving patients to ensure they received the proper standard of care was something that happened nationwide. This week, there were 4.7 full-time-equivalent senior doctor vacancies in Taupō, which would drop to 2.7 in October when two staff members joined. Two extra junior doctors had recently joined, and one would soon start. By January, another two were due, which left two vacancies. She said recruitment would focus on how Taupō was a great place to live and the quality of the clinical team at the hospital. Rural hospital medicine specialist Ralston D'Souza has just taken over as Taupō Hospital's clinical lead. He said the lack of permanent staffing at Taupō wasn't new, and he and the other clinicians developed plans in response. "It's probably been known about for a couple of years," he said. "With that short staffing, there's going to be gaps in the normal, everyday roster. So, as a group, we were trying to [say] to management: Look, this is a risk to the organisation. "If permanent staff are unable to fill these gaps, if locums are unable to fill these shifts, we have to have a contingency plan on what we need to do. "There's a huge amount of people affected in the hospital and in the community if there's no doctor in the hospital, so we wanted to get something on paper or get protocols in place if that were to occur because of the vulnerability of our workforce." He said additional junior doctors were welcome, although it would take some time until they were trained to fill overnight shifts, with their varied responsibilities. But he was more hopeful than previously, and he said Cronin was working closely with the hospital on staffing issues. Clinicians, management and the community were working together to find solutions, D'Souza said. Sarah Dalton, the executive director of the senior doctors' union, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, said clinicians drawing up the Escalation and Closure Plan showed there weren't enough doctors to staff the hospital. "Between 40 to 50 percent of their roster at any given time is filled either by locums or their employed staff being prevailed upon to do extra shifts, so do extra work for extra pay to keep the place open." She said the arrangements to fill the roster were "hand to mouth, subsistence stuff". Dalton criticised Health NZ for paying little attention to the well-being of permanent staff, while spending plenty on locums. Patient Voice Aotearoa's Malcolm Mulholland said the Escalation and Closure Plan showed how concerned clinicians were. "It's pretty confronting seeing that plans have been drafted to actually shut down one of our hospitals in New Zealand, and to know that it serves a community of 40,000 people or more. "It's extremely concerning." Mulholland said the advocacy group held a public meeting in Taupō earlier this year, where he heard from clinicians' concerns about staff shortages and the prospect of patients transferring to Rotorua. It was planning to hold a further public meeting in the town on 30 July at 6pm, at Taupō's Hilltop School. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
