Hospital slips in Resident rankings
Taranaki Base Hospital is not as popular with new doctors as it used to be.
Every year, medical school graduates rank their preferences for which hospital they’d like to work in as a qualified doctor (resident doctor or RMO) against the number of positions available for employment.
Taranaki Base Hospital came in seventh out of 20, down from second place last year.
Whakatane Hospital came out on top with twice as many applicants as positions, while only one new doctor wanted to go to Whanganui.
Dr Deborah Powell, National Secretary of the NZRDA, the union which represents Resident Doctors, said this was a reflection of Whanganui Hospital’s unsupportive management approach.
There are a number of different factors, other than the hospital, which influence a doctor’s decision about where to work, such as where they want to live, Powell said.
‘‘Nonetheless, factors such as employer compliance with employment terms and conditions, safer rostering practices, appropriate training and supervision – are hugely significant to our new graduates.’’
And in an unofficial assessment of the country’s hospitals, RMOs submitted their opinions on where to work.
Not surprisingly the report for Whanganui said ‘‘don’t go there’’.
The assessment for Taranaki said opinions depended on ‘‘who you talk to and their individual experience’’.
‘‘On the one hand, and from the RDA’s point of view, this DHB has taken a step backwards: it’s simply not as good as used to be...The sense one gets is that this DHB has had its figurative head in the sand.’’
On the other hand, Taranaki can be a good place to work, the report said, ‘‘with lots of collegiality’’.
Taranaki DHB chief medical advisor Dr Greg Simmons said Taranaki had slipped in ranking this year, but it had not impacted on the DHB’s ability to recruit a high calibre group of first year house surgeons for 2019.
‘‘Nine of our 15 trainee interns in 2018 have chosen Taranaki DHB as their place to work in their first year as a house surgeon.’’
The Taranaki DHB Hospital Leadership Team works hard to support junior doctors, Simmons said.
‘‘We meet regularly with them to gain their feedback, respond to any issues they may have and make improvements promptly and as required.
‘‘We are confident Taranaki Base Hospital remains a great place to work and provides the experience, training and support that junior doctors require as new graduates.’’
Resident doctors (RMOs, or Resident Medical Officers) are registered medical practitioners, ranging in experience from firstyear doctors to those with more than 12 years’ experience.
‘‘We are confident Taranaki Base Hospital remains a great place to work.’’ Taranaki DHB chief medical advisor Dr Greg Simmons
Student wordsmith Sasha Finer has won first and second place in both the secondary school short story and poetry sections at the
2018 Ronald Hugh Morrieson Literary Awards, which were announced last night.
The Ha¯wera High School student’s literary success keeps building each year – she won both the short story and poetry sections of the awards in 2017, the short story section in 2016 and was highly commended in
2015. This year’s winning short story is called Immortality, and her second-placed story is called The Magpie. Finer won the poetry section with Forbidden Fruits and came second with Long Distance Calls. A fellow Ha¯ wera student, Holly Stewart, placed third with her short story Olympics, and Lexi McQuaig, from Opunake High School, was third in the student poetry section with My Normality.
In the open short story section, Bruce Finer, who is Sasha’s father, was first placed with
Heartwood. Chris Purdon, Ha¯wera, was second with
Dilemma and Darly Paraha, Ha¯ wera, was third with Catch A Boy.