Healthcare unions argue that the new government funding to address winter healthcare demands is insufficient.
The government has allocated $25 million to add 378 full-time staff and 71 beds to hospitals as winter approaches, aiming to enhance patient flow and decrease waiting times.
Simeon Brown, the Health Minister, emphasized the focus on reducing hospital admissions by bolstering GP-level care and improving patient transitions from hospital beds to community care.
“Of course, this plan is not a silver bullet,” he stated during a morning announcement at the Auckland Business Chamber.
“We know that demand will still be high and hospitals will face record levels of patients this winter.
“But by planning early, expanding capacity and supporting front-line teams we give our staff the tools, resources and flexibility they need to manage this pressure, and deliver the care when New Zealanders need it the most.”
The initiative also includes funding for 567 short-stay spots in aged care facilities to alleviate hospital crowding.
Tracey Martin, chief executive of the Aged Care Association, appreciated the recognition of the aged care sector’s value but noted its current capacity exceeds 90%.
She expressed concern about finding available beds and the necessary staff, questioning, “So you might have money, but can you find a bed? And can you find a place that has the beds and the staffing that you need?”
Martin pointed out the challenges of suddenly expanding the sector, suggesting that adding more beds in privately-owned aged care facilities might be possible, but owners could be hesitant to expand or hire staff for the short term.
“I don’t think it’s going to be as easy to implement as they think it is. There aren’t 567 short-term care beds just sitting empty right now in New Zealand,” she added.
Labour’s health spokesperson, Dr. Ayesha Verrall, stressed the importance of addressing demand at the community level first.
“It’s a pretty standard winter plan, the sort that was rolled out under Labour governments. But the difference here is now we know 650,000 New Zealanders each year can’t afford to go to the general practitioner because of the cost.”
“As long as that’s the case, demand will remain high in our hospitals and they’ll continue to struggle.”
Labour has pledged to provide three free GP visits for every New Zealander if elected on November 7 this year to tackle health issues before they require hospital care.
The nurses’ union welcomed any staffing increase but argued that Brown’s announcement underestimated the existing shortages.
Paul Goulter, chief executive of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, noted uncertainty about how much funding would be directed toward hiring nurses specifically. The union’s research indicated a persistent shortage that this funding would not adequately address.
“We’ve got an ongoing shortage of nurses across the hospital system, and our research showed that our hospitals are short on average 587 nurses every shift, and then you’ve got the impact of winter coming,” Goulter explained.
Sarah Dalton from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists described the funding as insufficient.
When this criticism was presented to Brown, he defended the government’s decision.
“We’re focused on putting more resource into the front line and actually making progress … this has been a plan put together by working with our local hospitals across the country (and) them highlighting what’s going to make the biggest difference,” he stated.
