Skilton said the strike was needed because Health NZ was ignoring their pleas for better conditions.
“Over the last 12 months, nurses have raised concern about the direction Te Whatu Ora is going - our voices and concerns have been completely disregarded.
“There is only the single-minded drive to balance the budget without regard to the health consequences of our most valuable people and that is causing immense emotional distress to nurses.”
Skilton was referring to Health NZ’s move to pause the care capacity demand management system (CCDM) to cut costs.
CCDM is internationally recognised as an illness and staffing model which calculates how many nurse hours are required to provide safe care for patients based on the patient’s current illness and the other diseases that are present.
Skilton said Health NZ’s hesitation in providing further support for the CCDM staffing model had caused concern.
“CCDM’s overarching principle is ‘the right nurse, for the right patient at the right time’.
“Their lack of reassurance is causing disquiet amongst us. If Te Whatu Ora intend to withdraw from CCDM then tell us - tell us what alternative evidence-based tool they are going to put in place.”
Whanganui Hospital night shift nurse Adrienne Kellow said the priorities of Health NZ were not aligned with healthcare professionals.
“We want the Government to fund properly. New Zealanders' health needs are becoming more complex and the numbers requiring healthcare is increasing.
“We want safe staffing so that we can prove safe care.”
On Monday, December 9, Health NZ regional deputy chief executive Northern Mark Shepherd said the organisation was concerned about “recent incorrect claims by the NZNO on staffing levels and the use of the CCDM programme”.
“I can reassure the public that Health NZ is committed to safe staffing, and we are not pausing the CCDM programme,” Shepherd said.
“FTE calculations will resume in the new year and be aligned to ongoing budget and planning cycles. We greatly value the significant contribution of our nursing workforce in helping to care for the health of New Zealanders and their communities and we are committed to reaching a settlement with NZNO.
“Any settlement needs to reflect the ongoing reset of Health NZ as we work to get back to budget and complete the restructuring under way.”
Skilton said short-staffing was causing distress in the workplace and affecting the care provided.
“Nurses get trapped in a cycle of managing multiple competing priorities which can lead to error, omission and potential patient harm.
“It leaves little time to engage with families and patients, and these are conversations that are important to build trusting relationships.”
Kellow said on her night shifts, registered nurses from the previous shift often had to work extra hours to provide cover.
Skilton said nurses who worked overtime did it willingly and without complaint but it could lead to mental fatigue, poor wellbeing and lapses in concentration at times.
Skilton felt striking was the only option left.
“[Health professionals] have been feeding back to Te Whatu Ora that their health cuts and their plan is causing potential harm but nothing has changed. Te Whatu Ora are sticking to their plan of cutting costs and balancing budgets.”
The healthcare workers want Health NZ to provide more funding, better pay and more nurses.
“[We want] a declaration from Te Whatu Ora that they will financially support CCDM and provide the nurses that have been estimated that we need using our fulltime equivalent calculations,” Skilton said.
“In terms of pay, we need pay that at least meets the cost of living and the inflation.
“It’s no wonder that our healthcare workforces, our highly trained nurses, doctors, pharmacists and physios are leaving to countries where they are valued and remunerated for their skills.”
Shepherd said Health NZ believed bargaining was the most effective way to resolve the outstanding issues and avoid further disruption to patients and the wider health system.
