New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tairāwhiti delegate Christine Warrander told the Gisborne Herald that nurses continued to be frustrated.
“It’s the same old thing,” she said. “The hospital is short-staffed and patients are not getting the care they deserve. The Government’s just not listening.”
Warrander said the health sector speakers at the hīkoi would highlight to the public “how bad things are actually getting”.
Patients were not able to get to outpatient appointments and were suffering as a result, she said.
Locum services were expensive to provide and weather dependent. Locum specialists could not fly into Gisborne if the weather was bad, which caused further delays, she said.
Staffing levels in Ward 5 at Gisborne Hospital were good, but recently recruited overseas nurses were starting to look at better pay and conditions available in Australia, she said.
“We’ve already lost some to Australia.”
Warrander described staffing levels in the Emergency Department (ED) as “pretty bad on some days” and getting worse because no GP after-hours service was available in Gisborne.
Some ED patients were presenting later than they should, she said.
“They’re coming late. They’re staying at home later and coming in sicker and requiring a lot more care.”
There also continued to be people presenting at ED when they should be going to a GP, she said.
Doctors were stretched through no fault of their own, she said.
“In the evening, a couple [of doctors] are trying to run the entire hospital.”
More workload was being put on stressed nurses to pick up the slack, Warrander said.
“Some nurses don’t have the experience to do that, but sometimes you’ve just got to do what you can.
“It’s not a great situation. I’m frustrated with things.”
Warrander said the hospital had to speed up its recruitment process.
“Often we see someone who is perfect for a job, but their recruitment has taken too long. They’ve gone elsewhere.”
A nurse spoken to by the Gisborne Herald under the condition of anonymity said there had been no follow-up or visit after senior doctors had written to the Government about their 44% vacancy rate at Gisborne Hospital.
Another nurse told the Herald – also anonymously – that doctors were exhausted and nurses were frustrated and tired.
“We’re stretched everywhere.”
Group director of operation for Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti John Swiatczak said he acknowledged the concerns raised by clinical staff and those joining Thursday’s hīkoi.
“It speaks to the importance of our health services in Gisborne and how engaged and supportive our communities are,” Swiatczak said
Health NZ was committed to the Tairāwhiti recruitment plan “to ensure we increase the permanent workforce”, he said.
“The national and international recruitment drive is achieving positive results with a number of international doctors working here and more to come.
“Our priority is always to support our Gisborne Hospital teams and to ensure our communities receive the level of healthcare they require.”
Strike decision not taken lightly
On Thursday, senior doctors who are members of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) will also go on strike for an unprecedented 24 hours over pay and staffing levels.
As part of their actions, they are holding a public meeting at the House of Breakthrough on Thursday night from 7-8.30pm.
Gisborne senior doctor Alex Raines told the Gisborne Herald doctors had not taken the decision to strike lightly.
“We love living in Tairāwhiti and we want to provide excellent care for our community.”
Swiatczak said he wanted to assure people that plans were in place to ensure the continued delivery of hospital services despite the senior doctors’ strike.
“Our hospital and emergency department will remain open during the strike action and other clinical staff, including doctors, will still be available to provide health services for those who need them.”
