E Tū Condemns Disestablishment Of Hospital Supporter Roles At Te Toka Tumai Auckland Hospital

E tū, the union representing hospital support staff, is very disappointed and concerned about Te Toka Tumai Auckland Hospital's decision to disestablish the vital Hospital Supporter roles.

Hospital Supporters are multi-skilled professionals responsible for guiding visitors and patients, assisting nurses and orderlies with various tasks, and performing essential administrative duties. Their flexibility allows them to be deployed to critically required areas during times of increased patient numbers, ensuring the hospital operates smoothly.

The decision to eliminate these roles has been met with significant opposition. Hundreds of nurses and staff members have signed a petition advocating for the retention of Hospital Supporters, highlighting their indispensable contributions to patient care and hospital efficiency.

Mark Fletcher, an E tū delegate and Hospital Supporter at Te Toka Tumai, says staff are feeling completely let down.

"Frankly, I’m angry, especially under the circumstances, especially when the decision is not based on the work we do, the quality of that work, whether we were underutilised, but purely on a financial basis.

Mark emphasised the critical support Hospital Supporters provide to nurses and healthcare assistants (HCAs), particularly during peak periods.

"Nurses and HCAs are running around every day, still crying out for more staff and being blocked in various ways. Knowing the way this decision will affect their workload makes me furious, as it gets rid of a service that directly supports them.

"If we aren't there, things will go to how they used to be, things will either not get done or will be done by the HCAs at the sacrifice of them helping with patient cares and other tasks that only exist within their scope.”

The justification for these redundancies has been attributed to funding constraints from Te Whatu Ora. This follows a series of job cuts and a hiring freeze that have already placed immense pressure on the healthcare system.

E tū Director Mat Danaher says it is yet another example of the damage to the health system being delivered by the National-led Government.

"The decision to cut these vital roles is yet another symptom of chronic underfunding and a lack of political will to properly resource our healthcare system," Mat says.

"Instead of investing in frontline services and supporting workers who help keep hospitals running efficiently, the Government is prioritising cost-cutting measures that leave patients and staff worse off. This is not just an isolated decision – it’s part of a broader pattern of neglect and disregard for public health."

Mat says the Government’s focus on austerity and budget slashing has caused significant damage to healthcare services across the country.

"We’ve seen a pattern emerge where support staff, nurses, and HCAs are continually pushed to their limits while funding dries up and essential roles are scrapped. This approach is not sustainable, and it’s putting immense pressure on an already strained system.

“The result is a hospital environment where patients wait longer, critical tasks fall through the cracks, and healthcare workers face burnout from constantly having to pick up the slack."

E tū calls on Te Toka Tumai Auckland Hospital and Te Whatu Ora to reconsider this decision, recognising the invaluable role Hospital Supporters play in delivering quality healthcare services.

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