Bupa Roster Changes Put Residents And Caregivers At Risk

Caregivers and residents at Bupa care homes are under increasing pressure, as the company pushes ahead with major roster changes despite widespread concerns about safety and wellbeing.

E tū members at Bupa sites across Aotearoa have spoken out about the impact of moving to either a 5 days on, 3 days off or 4 days on, 2 days off pattern – changes made without proper consultation with workers or residents. A confidential source confirmed that local managers were told they could only choose from these two options, with no ability to adapt them to meet the specific needs of their care home.

Sushila Devi, an E tū member and caregiver, says the changes have left her and her colleagues deeply anxious.

“We are so stressed – me, my family, and my colleagues. Our hours are being cut, and everyone is afraid,” she says.

“We feel rushed into making a decision about these bad new roster patterns. Some of my colleagues are renting in South Auckland for over $600 a week. They’ve got kids and are the only earner in the house. The cost of living is so high, we can’t even afford nice food for our families.

“Caregivers are the foundation of the facility. Clients are paying the same amount of money, but Bupa is cutting staff hours – so they’re saving money, and residents will be losing out on care. It’s already bad and residents are missing out. It’s only going to get worse.”

These concerns are well founded. At a Waikato site where the changes were implemented last year, four registered nurses resigned as a direct result. Staff shortages in the kitchen have led to residents stepping in to help with the work themselves.

Residents have also expressed concern that they and their families were not consulted before the changes, and that they can already see the damage being done.

E tū Director Mat Danaher says the new rosters are being imposed without listening to the voices of those who know best.

“Workers who have spent decades in this sector are being ignored when they say these roster changes will cause real harm,” he says.

“We know that fatigued, overworked staff are more likely to make mistakes, and in aged care, those mistakes can cost lives. But instead of listening, Bupa is pushing ahead – saving money while residents and workers pay the price.”

Mat says E tū is clear that the Government must take urgent steps to fix the chronic underfunding of aged care – including delivering pay equity and putting in place mandatory staffing ratios.

“But big multinationals like Bupa are still making healthy profits. They should be investing in resident safety and staff wellbeing, just like any other business operating at scale.

“Instead, with an ageing population and tightening budgets, we face the reality of serious harm – or even death – as workers are forced to shoulder more work with less support. Our kaumātua deserve better.”

E tū members will continue to fight for decent staffing, fair treatment, and dignity for residents. They are calling on the public to back their campaign to Transform Care and demand safe staffing in our aged care facilities.

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