Nurses Look for Jobs Focus in Budget

Media Release:

Unemployment is Unhealthy and Nurses Look for Jobs Focus in Budget

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) expects Thursday’s Budget will focus on strengthening the economy and hopes it does so through a focus on jobs; not only protecting and creating good jobs but enhancing the value, quality and rewards of working. “A healthy New Zealand needs people in good jobs doing real work that is well paid,” said NZNO chief executive Geoff Annals.

While the budget allocation to health will not be cut, DHBs face enormous challenges to achieve more surgical and cancer treatment, better acute case management and improved staff retention at the same time as managing the rapid growth in demand and costs arising from the growing and ageing population, increasing rates of chronic illness and ever expanding treatment options at a time when recession and rising unemployment will also generate further demand for health care.

The first task of this budget is to strengthen the economy. What health needs is an effective plan to stimulate growth in the economy. The Government has set the scene for a black budget but it’s important the focus is not on satisfying credit rating agencies’ demand for austerity but on achieving genuine economic improvement. If a limited focus on short-term economic security is taken, this will risk longer-term gains in population health, and indeed our wider economic security. With NZ’s relatively low gross government debt, there is scope for government borrowing for investment in economic transformation.

“This government has shown itself generally to be pragmatic and we hope this budget has a constructive focus on strengthening NZ’s economy for New Zealanders.” said Annals. “Now is the time for sound leadership and consensus building by New Zealanders confronting seriously challenging circumstances.”

Commenting on the challenges facing the health sector Annals said, “It is imperative that all health stakeholders - government, service providers, health unions and the public - work together to deal with the challenges we face. DHBs face deficits collectively of beyond  beyond $200 million this year. Aged Care remains in need of urgent attention and NZ needs a comprehensive health workforce strategy. The risk is, faced with difficult times, we each withdraw to pursue our own narrow agendas. If we do that now, we will fail all New Zealanders.”

The signs of an emerging consensus are mixed. Last month, DHBs and the health unions reaffirmed commitment to working together but last week, in the latest round of national bargaining with hospital orderlies, cleaners and kitchen staff, DHBs adopted a wage freeze approach.

“An important test of this budget will be whether it heightens or reduces the likelihood of workplace division now is the time to develop strategies for genuine workplace and general economic transformation,” Annals said.

ENDS

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