Safe working and career development at heart of joint accord

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Please find below a media release from DHBs

MEDIA RELEASE

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2018

Safe working and career development at the heart of joint Accord
District Health Boards will join the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and the Ministry of Health in an agreement about staffing levels and working conditions.
Spokesperson Jim Green says the Effective Implementation Accord sets and describes how DHBs and the NZNO will work together to ensure safe staffing levels for nurses and midwives.

“Staffing levels and workload are a key issue for the sector and this agreement spells out our commitment to addressing them, something that we will do alongside current employment agreement negotiations.

“I know NZNO members want to be confident that DHBs will deliver on the commitments made during bargaining – the Accord ensures that, especially in implementing Care Capacity Demand Management (CCDM).

“CCDM is a jointly-governed process to determine the number and types of roles needed to meet patient demand in a safe and sustainable way.

“The implementation of CCDM has been inconsistent across the 20 DHBs. The Accord will give nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants confidence that DHBs will provide staffing where a need is identified.

Mr Green says any additional staff identified through CCDM will be on top of the $38 million already earmarked for recruiting additional nurses in the latest offer.

“The revised offer is a significant increase on existing rates and pay equity is another component likely to deliver another significant increase within 18 months.

“This is another part of creating a more attractive career pathway to draw in more of the talented people we have as well as helping to retain or bring back skilled and experience staff,” says Mr Green.

ENDS

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