Unionists warn of nursing crisis

Margaret Ball

Nursing unionists predict a crisis in community health care if employers - and the Government - reject their demands for a nearly $10,000 pay rise.

A survey by the Nurses Organisation of more than 2700 primary health care members, mainly nurses, depicts a fragile workforce with the pay gap compared with nurses at district health boards a key issue.

Senior registered practice nurses at many GP clinics are paid $45,800 on average. They and others at more than 600 primary health clinics want parity with health board registered nurses, whose top-of-scale base salary, before shift allowances, will be $54,000 by July.

Of the 635 members who responded to the postal survey, 95 per cent listed pay parity with health board nurses as the top priority to keep them in primary health. More than 60 per cent of workplaces were finding it hard to recruit new staff, responses indicated.

The Government wants nurses to take a greater role in delivering primary health care, especially in light of survey indications that the GP workforce is stressed, aging and shrinking.

"Clearly the nursing shortage in primary health will rapidly become a crisis if our members remain underpaid and undervalued," said union spokeswoman Chris Wilson.

The pay claim would cost the Government more than $16 million.

Medical Association chief executive Cameron McIvor, representing the majority of the employer clinics, said: "We have not seen evidence of a looming crisis."

But part-time east Auckland practice nurse Margaret Ball, 51, said nurses were moving back to hospitals since the big pay rises started being introduced last year and others were leaving nursing altogether.

"It's a great job; I love it. I would just like a bit of recognition for what I do ... I would like to stay, but if the wage gap gets even more I would consider going back to the hospital. Practice nurses used to be referred to as glorified receptionists. It's not that at all."

Mrs Ball said her work was equivalent to hospital nursing, although more diverse, and should be paid the same.

Her duties ranged from treating asthmatics and giving injections to assisting with minor surgery and advising new mothers about their babies' health.

The Nurses Organisation wants the Government to create a new stream of funding to pay for the pay rises it is seeking to avert the risk of them leading to higher patient charges, but the Government seems unlikely to agree.

A spokeswoman for Health Minister Pete Hodgson said he "won't negotiate in the media".


Cash injection

* More than 2500 employed at various clinics, including GPs, accident & medical, Pacific, Maori, union.
* Work includes vaccination, taking cervical smears, dressing wounds, plastering fractures.
* Senior nurses paid $45,800 on average at many GP clinics.
* They want $54,000 - parity with what district health board nurses will be paid by July