'Grave concerns' for future of health workforce amid staffing crisis
There are “grave concerns” for the future of the health workforce and “urgent” action is needed to address the staffing crisis, a surgeons' group says.
The Association of General Surgeons has sent an open letter to Health Minister Andrew Little, saying the staffing shortfall is “profoundly reducing” doctors’ ability to deliver care.
President Dr Rowan French, said both acute and planned surgeries in public hospitals had been reduced as a result.
“Most hospitals are already close to, or at over 100% occupancy. This cannot be dismissed as ‘just a winter problem’, as a number of hospitals were at 100% occupancy in January.”
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In June, a woman left Middlemore Hospital’s emergency department after allegedly being told she would face a long wait. She had a fatal brain haemorrhage hours later.
Her death could have been prevented if she was seen, an emergency doctor said.
A chronic shortage of GPs in south Auckland has also been adding pressure on healthcare providers.
French said the crisis was not the result of winter illnesses and the Government needed to acknowledge that, as the workforce problem would not resolve itself.
The Covid-19 pandemic had delayed healthcare and restricted access to health services for some.
But French said staffing issues were not just the result of additional pressure – permanent vacancies, increased overseas departures and workers leaving the profession had all contributed.
Operating theatres were functioning well below capacity and public hospitals had undertaken very few elective surgeries so far this year due to cancellations, he said.
That meant patients were going to emergency departments with complications caused by delays in treatment.
The association made a number of recommendations it believed would help ensure staffing issues would not continue in 2023.
They included “fees-free” nursing training, cancellation of nurses’ student loans and including nurses at the top of immigration and residency priority lists.
“There is no way around this, we must find tangible ways to really value nurses or the net exodus will continue.”
Health Minister Andrew Little has previously said while New Zealand’s hospitals were under “very significant pressure”, he believed “the system as a whole is coping”.
He also reiterated confidence in the health system after the Middlemore Hospital death.
“The hospital system has periods when it is under pressure, including times when it is under serious pressure,” he said.
“I am confident we have a health workforce that is dedicated to providing the best care possible to patients even when under pressure caused by extraordinary circumstances such as at present.”