Lack of data on medical workforce suicides - Te Whatu Ora

Te Whatu Ora says it has various support programmes in place for employees across the country. Photo / 123rf

By RNZ

Te Whatu Ora Health NZ has received little information from other agencies about suicide among the medical workforce.

The agency’s board asked for more information last October following a New Zealand Medical Journal editorial about the problem “in order to understand the issue”.

The agency said it had asked mental health and suicide prevention teams at the Ministry of Health Manatū Hauora and the Medical Council, but neither held the data.

“We have been advised that, as coroners do not routinely collect occupation data, there are no reliable statistics on suicide rates by occupation in New Zealand.”

If there was an unexplained death among its workforce, which numbers tens of thousands, it made sure full support services were there, Te Whatu Ora said in a response to an Official Information Act request.

“We also make appropriate enquiries to understand whether there are any potential contributory factors in the workplace that need to be investigated and addressed.”

It had various support programmes in place for employees across the country, for anyone “struggling with personal or professional issues”.

“Suicide among our workforce is a sensitive and complex matter which we take very seriously.

“We are also committed to continuing to work with professional bodies and with unions representing our workforce, to ensure we provide a safe and positive workplace experience for all our people.”