Health sector is in need of a remedy
The warnings have been sounded for years. Even prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were gaps in our healthcare workforce that no gauze could be manufactured to cover. Right now, there are about 8000 vacancies. By current forecasts, New Zealand will need nearly 13,000 extra nurses and more than 5000 more doctors within a decade. Based on current population growth, an extra 1600 workers will be needed each year to 2032. If nothing changes, the gap could grow to 25,000 healthcare professionals.
Yesterday Health Minister Ayesha Verrall unveiled a plan to bring together education and immigration settings to grow the workforce and reduce attrition. Initiatives include “earn-as-youlearn” programmes, targeted rural programmes, and funding for 50 new medical school places.
Verrall points out “significant progress” over the past 12 months, noting more than 8000 nurses registered for the first time in the 2022/23 registration year, up from around 5000 registered for the first time in 2021/22.
But even this number barely salves the surface of a wound that runs much deeper.
New Zealand’s healthcare workforce is ageing and retiring at rates faster than can be replenished. A taskforce set up to tackle the problem last year was a failure. Many countries are better resourced and offering bigger incentives for a talent pool greatly reduced by the pandemic. Our capacity to upskill is struggling. Last week, an additional $128 million was invested into the tertiary sector to increase tuition subsidies at degree-level and above by a further 4 per cent in 2024 and 2025.
Universities worldwide face the same significant decline in domestic enrolment, higher costs, and fewer international students. Cabinet has sought a report on whether measures being taken by universities might threaten the capability or provision of programmes nationwide. Even with the best training faculties focused and up and running, the pandemic has also diluted the pool of potential students; many have graduated with secondary qualifications courtesy of extra credits.
Our existing stocks are exhausted and demoralised. Most sectors have propped up depleted rosters while fighting for better pay and conditions for years. Senior emergency specialist Dr Amanda Rosenberg spoke out four days ago about staff burnout and safety fears at Auckland City Hospital.
This week, the Government finally acquiesced to add $1.5 billion to an interim pay equity settlement that offers nurses employed by Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand additional increases to pay rates and a $15,000 lump sum payment to address backpay issues.
Te Whatu Ora chief people officer Andrew Slater says the agency is “pulling every lever” to address vacancies. One of these levers is immigration. We have repeatedly turned to other nations to fill vacancies. This time it must be done differently.
Immigration needs to be focused and strategic to fill our needs, without adding to the queues already needing attention. Meanwhile, we need to train and retain our best.