Where will the nurses come from?

The country’s aged-care sector could become one of the biggest casualties of the nurses’ endorsement of the collective agreement put forward by district health boards (DHBs).

After almost a year of complex negotiations and a national strike which saw about 30,000 New Zealand Nurses’ Organisation (NZNO) members walk off the job, a ‘‘majority’’ of nurses voted in favour of the fifth iteration of the deal in an announcement made yesterday.

One of the pillars of the newly inked agreement was a provision for 500 nurses to be introduced in response to nurses’ concerns about unsafe staffing levels.

But with many nurses driven from the industry because of high workloads and low pay, questions have been raised about where the additional workers would come from.

Professor Jenny Carryer, of Massey University’s school of nursing, was worried yesterday’s agreement would see a ‘‘drift’’ from aged-care organisations, which are largely run by private operators, to public hospitals.

‘‘The drift across will also make it almost impossible to attract new graduates to aged care ... they might end up robbing Peter to pay Paul,’’ Carryer said.

Aged Care Association chief executive Simon Wallace said his organisation had already seen nurses leave while a deal was being hammered out.

Now it was finalised, Wallace

was certain more would leave to take up fresh contracts with DHBs. ‘‘That is only going to get worse.’’

Health Minister David Clark gave assurances the 500-nurse target was achievable and the Government could keep up with its end of the safe-staffing accord signed less than a fortnight ago.

‘‘Currently, we produce a large number of nurses who are not immediately offered a workplace and we lose them overseas and to other professions, so I think there is space there to grow the workforce locally.

‘‘Every year, we train 1500 nurses and about 500 of them are not placed immediately.’’

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern acknowledged DHBs had been ‘‘carrying’’ a large number of nursing vacancies in the past but that was likely to change thanks to the accord.

DHB spokesman Jim Green said as well as introducing three pay increases of 3 per cent, the Government has provided an immediate response of $38 million to finance recruitment.

Ministry of Health (MOH) acting chief nursing director Dr Jill Clendon said the organisation ‘‘will be looking closely at enrolled nurses’’ to support their transition into the registered nursing sector.

The accord would also mean MOH will increase recruitment efforts at secondary school level.

However, New Zealand Nightingales Fight For Fair Pay spokeswoman Danni Wilkinson doubted extra staff would help ensure safe staffing. ‘‘While they can hire 500 nurses, it’s not going to stop 1000 leaving.

‘‘When you strip the numbers back, 500 new nurses is only going to give each shift in every ward in the country not even 10 per cent of a nurse.’’