Psychologists vary work to rule to support claims

Psychologists across 17 district health boards will not accept new patients and will stop participating in group work as part of ongoing industrial action.

On July 31, more than 600 district health board-employed psychologists began a five-week work to rule, banning overtime.

Yesterday, Apex union announced members had voted for further industrial action after the DHBs failed to present an offer ‘‘attractive enough to recruit and retain these specialists’’, national secretary Dr Deborah Powell said.

The work to rule will last four weeks and will follow on from the overtime ban which ends on September 3. Low pay, under-staffing and lack of professional support was ‘‘sapping the morale’’ of the workforce, Powell said.

‘‘We know the Ministry of Health has $13.8 million allocated to mental health workforce development this year, they are dragging their feet on spending it to improve psychologists’ terms and conditions.’’ Powell said the ministry needed to return to negotiations with DHBs with an offer to lift wages and staffing levels for psychologists.

Earlier, DHB-employed psychologists told Stuff they were working in ‘‘unsafe’’ and at times unethical conditions.

‘‘Huge’’ staff shortages were contributing to burn-out, and wait lists were up to a year long across the country, they said.

Psychologists wanted better pay and work conditions offered, as well as more scope for leadership and workforce development, Apex spokeswoman and DHB clinical psychologist Annmaree Kingi earlier told Stuff.

The industrial action includes psychologists working across a range of mental health services, including forensic services, community mental health, addiction and inpatient services.

It also involves those working in physical health services, including cancer, cardiac, spinal, diabetes and older persons’ health.

A spokesman for the district health boards has been approached for comment.