“The glut of healthcare issues occurring across New Zealand are being driven by chronic workforce shortages, unfortunately workforce data shows they’re only getting worse,” says ACT’s Deputy Leader and Health spokesperson Brooke van Velden.

“Written Parliamentary Questions from the Minister of Health show that since 31 July 2022 to 31 December 2022 there were an additional 1049 vacancies across the health system. The overall vacancy rate rose to 10.7 per cent.

“Almost a third of jobs across the midwifery sector are vacant. While the Government was spending billions on administrative reform overworked frontline workers got fed up and left.

“Labour’s policies to stem the decline aren’t working either. The Government’s million dollar Return to Nursing Fund has only had 67 nurses re-register in over a year, while their half a million dollar overseas ad campaign only resulted in three job interviews.

“The Government has been so focussed on increasing bureaucracy and injecting co-governance into the health system they have ignored what matters to Kiwis - that when Kiwis need treatment they can get appointments.

"There were 12,695 fewer discharges than planned in 2022, people weren't getting the care they expected or deserved.

“While Labour was persevering with their administrative reform ACT was calling for midwives and nurses to be placed on the Green List fast-track to residency pathway, the Government didn’t listen and vacancies increased. I revealed a Ministerial Briefing which showed that Health Minister at the time Andrew Little was fully aware of the shortages across the health sector yet continued to ignore immigration settings.

“We’re seeing the result of Labour’s misguided priorities play out in emergency rooms across the country now. The health system is in crisis and Kiwis want to have faith that an ambulance will turn up or they can get the care their taxes are paying for.

“The future of our health system will be based on better training, better retention and better recruitment. ACT will release its Health Workforce Strategy in coming weeks which will promote real change in the healthcare system.”

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