Latest news with #RobynShearer
Otago Daily Times
04-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Health NZ accused of dropping 'safe staffing' from nurses' pay offer
The biggest nurses' union is accusing Health NZ of putting money ahead of safety by dropping a safe staffing agreement from its latest contract offer. Negotiations, which began last October, have stalled over what the Nurses Organisation called "big ticket items" centred on public safety, leading to a nationwide strike in December. NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter said that in an earlier offer, Te Whatu Ora had committed to acting on safe staffing research they had agreed to do together. "Te Whatu Ora has removed that from their latest offer without explanation. This demonstrates their focus is on cost cutting, not patient safety." A survey of members showed understaffing was putting patients at risk, he said. "Overworked staff are unable to give patients the care they need and leads to staff burnout." Figures for 631 wards using the safe staffing (Care Capacity Demand Management programme) - obtained by the union under the Official Information Act - showed ongoing nursing shortages, Goulter said. "These figures show from January to October last year almost half (or 47.1 percent) of all wards were understaffed 20 percent of the time. That means nurses and health care assistants are working in understaffed wards at least one shift a week. "We are also continuing to see acute levels of understaffing in emergency departments, mental health, women's health and children's wards." In an interview with RNZ's Morning Report programme on Friday, Te Whatu Ora acting chief executive Robyn Shearer said it was difficult to resolve clinical need through collective bargaining. "It's not an easy thing to put into settlement agreement, but we do have operational policies which look at safe staffing and rostering and that continues," she said. However, Goulter said safe staffing had to be central to any agreement. "It is concerning that Robyn Shearer isn't aware CCDM has been in the Te Whatu Ora/NZNO collective agreement since 2010," he said. RNZ asked Te Whatu Ora for its response to the union's claim it was putting cost-cutting ahead of patient safety by removing the commitment to safe staffing, and whether the Care Capacity Demand Management programme was on hold. However, a spokesperson said the agency had nothing further to add to its earlier statement and Robyn Shearer's interview.
Scoop
04-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Te Whatu Ora Refuses To Address Patient Safety Concerns
Te Whatu Ora is refusing to address calls to prioritise patient safety by adequately resourcing safe staffing levels, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōputanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says. A new offer from Te Whatu Ora to NZNO members has failed to include measures to address staffing concerns despite it being raised continually throughout the bargaining process. NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter says an earlier offer from Te Whatu Ora committed to acting on safe staffing research the two organisations had agreed to do together. "Te Whatu Ora has removed that from their latest offer without explanation. This demonstrates their focus is on cost cutting, not patient safety. "A survey of our members shows nurses have grave concerns that continued understaffing is putting their patients at risk. Overworked staff are unable to give patients the care they need and leads to staff burnout," Paul Goulter says. Despite claiming there is no nursing shortage, Te Whatu Ora continues to understaff shifts. NZNO has received staffing figures under the Official Information Act for 631 wards using the safe staffing Care Capacity Demand Management programme (CCDM). "These figures show from January to October last year almost half (or 47.1%) of all wards were understaffed 20% of the time. That means nurses and health care assistants are working in understaffed wards at least one shift a week," Paul Goulter says. "We are also continuing to see acute levels of understaffing in emergency departments, mental health, women's health and children's wards." Paul Goulter says Te Whatu Ora Acting Chief Executive Robyn Shearer claimed this morning that clinical need "isn't an easy thing" to resolve through collective bargaining. "It is concerning that Robyn Shearer isn't aware CCDM has been in the Te Whatu Ora/NZNO collective agreement since 2010," he says.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Health NZ pays Wellington region more than $60 million after holiday pay botch-up
The payments went to 7740 Capital and Coast workers for incorrectly calculated holiday leave. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Health NZ on Thursday paid out more than $60 million to thousands of current staff in the Wellington region for incorrectly calculated holiday leave. Deputy chief executive Robyn Shearer, the central region's top official, said the payments (to 7740 Capital and Coast workers) meant over two-thirds of current Health NZ staff had now received their Holidays Act remediation payments. "I want to acknowledge the patience of our staff who have been waiting for their payment and also recognise the huge work from our payroll teams, both nationally and in the regions, who have worked tirelessly on this programme," she said. "The payment today means all our Wellington region payrolls have been rectified, and over 75 percent of our payrolls nationally. This means those payrolls are now compliant with the Act and staff are being paid correctly for their holidays in a nationally consistent way." It takes the total amount paid so far nationally to over $450m to just under 60,000 current employees, for mistakes dating back to 2010. Earlier this week, RNZ revealed that Health NZ had spent more than $130m fixing errors with Holidays Act compliance, not including the money actually paid to staff. In total, it owes about $1.8 billion to 220,000 past and present staff - including doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
