Patient care could suffer as a result of further cuts to the health system, which could lose thousands of staff who keep our hospitals and clinics running.

Te Whatu Ora is calling for voluntary redundancies from an estimated 18,000-20,000 staff working in non-clinical roles, such as booking patient appointments to ordering medical supplies to making sure nurses get paid.

“These staff are the backbone of our health system, the people who keep it running. They do important jobs like booking patient appointments to ordering medical supplies, to making sure nurses get paid,” Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said.

“The work they do is critical: they purchase the syringes, gloves and equipment nurses use, and make sure x-rays, scans and tests are entered into records, among all the other things that make patient care better for staff and patients.

“I worked in New Zealand hospitals when cuts were made to the health system by the last National government. It resulted in a less efficient system as clinical staff were pulled away from patients to deal with admin.

“Nicola Willis’ reckless tax cuts are not worth losing the very people who keep our health system going.

“Underfunding of our health system will always affect patient care, no matter how well intentioned or hardworking clinical staff are. They are already running on a shoestring because of cost pressures as a result of the National Government’s choices.

“Shane Reti needs to explain how a modern, efficient, patient-centred health system can function without non-clinical staff supporting the frontline.

“These redundancies are because Te Whatu Ora is being forced to cut $1.4 billion from its budget, alongside the hiring pause on doctors and nurses. We can expect our hospitals and patient care to suffer as a result,” said Ayesha Verrall.

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