NZNO ready to meet with new health minister

Acting chief executive Jane MacGeorge congratulates Dr David Clark on his appointment as Minister of Health and says he shows good understanding of social determinants of health such as poverty, social environments and housing quality.

NZNO’s leaders are planning to meet with the minister soon to discuss building a more sustainable nursing workforce and, the need for nurses to be consulted and included on policy matters that involve nursing and health.

“We are pleased to see the new ministerial portfolios have a strong emphasis on ending child poverty and commend the incoming prime minister’s stance on taking this serious matter on herself as a new minister,” Jane MacGeorge said.

“Dr David Clark has committed the new government to put back the $2billion missing in the health spend and both the new deputy prime minister and the prime minster have signed the NZNO open letter calling on the previous government to increase the health spend.

“The health spend freeze of the last few years has had a negative impact on the nursing workforce because of the strain of covering during staff shortages and the subsequent inability for nurses to take time away from work for professional development. This has meant many are unsatisfied with the care they can provide to patients and the restraints on ways to further their career development.

“We want to see more Māori nurses attracted into nursing and more nurses going into mental health, we also want our more senior experienced nurses to stay in nursing and for employers to accommodate their needs to keep them in the profession.

“We commend New Zealand First on the coalition agreement that includes commitment to annual free health checks for seniors and free doctor’s visits for under 14s,” Jane MacGeorge said.