Letters to the editor: Government’s nursing pay parity announcement frustrating for general practice nurses

Clinical leaders' increasing responsibilities take away their ability to support staff. Photo / Vladimir Fedotov

My nursing role is managing frontline staff in their day-to-day practices. My duties have become increasingly numerous, as clinical leaders are getting more and more responsibilities put on us that take away our ability to support staff.

That’s why the frustration of seeing general practice nurses excluded from the Government’s pay parity announcement is immense. How and why Health Minister Andrew Little came to the conclusion that there’s no evidence of a pay difference with Te Whatu Ora is beyond my understanding.

Plunket nurses have been included in the pay parity but are having to wait half a year to receive it.

We are frontline. We need to be valued. My nurses can do anything that a hospital nurse can do, but their most amazing skill is communication.

Our Plunket nurses are working with families with very high complexities including gangs, poverty, drug and alcohol use, mental health, and family violence.

We are privileged to be invited into the homes. Our nurses connect, make relationships and have the biggest role in improving health and wellbeing. We wear social worker hats.

Our nurses have had to complete post-graduate papers.

Pay parity with Te Whatu Ora nurses is a must.

We are all nurses.

Annie Fisher-Van der Veen

Senior designated nurse, Bay of Plenty

Dawn Picken inspiring

Dawn Picken (News, December 3, & 17) is utterly beautiful both inside and out.

But that’s what makes gems and jewels so precious.

An inspiring woman with a generous spirit that always helps others.

Aesthetically beautiful, and a living gift to humanity. Truth and beauty go hand in hand.

This is why funding for hospice and palliative care is so important, and Dawn Picken reminds us that angels do exist in human form.

E Smith

Waitakere

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