Primary Health Care Wage Agreement Reached But Pay Parity Still Needed To Retain Nurses

New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) primary health care members have agreed to an 8% wage increase over 12 months but pay parity with their hospital counterparts is still needed to retain nurses in the sector.

NZNO’s College of Primary Health Care Nurses chair Tracey Morgan says there was overwhelming support for the Multi Employment Collective Agreement offer for an immediate increase of 5% followed by a further 3% in July.

"This is good news for primary and community care nurses. However, their base hourly rate remains on average about 10% below Te Whatu Ora nurses despite having the same skills and qualifications.

"Until primary and community care nurses are paid the same, they will continue to leave GPs and iwi and community clinics for better paid hospital jobs here and overseas."

A recent Victoria University of Wellington study found 36% of New Zealand’s general practices didn’t take new enrolments last year, with workforce shortages cited as the major reason people were being turned away.

"If people can’t get the health care they need in their communities, they end up at hospital even sicker. This puts more pressure on our already stretched hospitals," Tracey Morgan says.

"NZNO urges the Government to fulfil its pre-election commitment to pay primary care nurses the same as their hospital counterparts and introduce a sustainable funding model for the primary care sector."

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