New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association claims Taranaki Base staff facing burn out

Dr Powell said staff at Taranaki Base Hospital feel burnt out and exhausted. Photo / Tara Shaskey

Taranaki Base Hospital is under fire from New Zealand’s largest organisation for doctors over staff shortages and long wait times, but Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora Taranaki says the concerns are being addressed.

New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association (NZRDA), national secretary Dr Deborah Powell said four out of 14 medical registrar positions are currently unfilled.

The registrars deal with adult medical services outside of the hospital’s ordinary operating hours. Dr Powell said the remaining 10 registrars feel burnt out and exhausted.

Patients are also suffering, she said.

“For patients the lack of registrars on duty means waiting up to 24 hours on stretchers in the corridors of Taranaki Hospital’s emergency department to be seen by a doctor. Patients on surgical wards wait two to three days for the medical review. These patients may have suffered heart attacks, strokes or other life-threatening emergencies, yet the lack of staff means they cannot be seen quickly.”

Out of six psychiatry registrar positions, only two are currently filled, she said, which was putting pressure on the other staff.

She said while technically the hospital has three psychiatry registrars currently, one of them is on long-term leave, “which has the same impact” as the position being vacant.

“Some days in the last week no psychiatry registrars were on duty in the Taranaki district. This has left two new graduate doctors feeling so unsupported and unsafe when responding to patient emergencies for mental health patients they have flagged their concerns formally to management.”

Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora Taranaki group director of operations Katy Sheffield said Health NZ Taranaki senior leaders have met with the NZRDA and local union delegates to discuss the NZRDA’s concerns.

“Several solutions were agreed on to address workforce shortages. These include improved processes and approaches to filling roster gaps.”

Sheffield said with New Zealand’s emergency department (ED) and hospitals at full capacity during the busier winter months, staff do their best to see patients quickly.

She disputed NZRDA’s claims of 24-hour waits in corridors of the emergency department.

“While we work hard so patients don’t stay in our EDs for extended lengths of time, some patients may need to reside in our ED facility for 24 hours, but this would never be in a corridor for that whole time.”

She said patients were sometimes in ED for a longer time because they needed a range of assessments before they could be send to the correct ward if needed.

“This may be due to patients requiring multiple diagnostics or assessments to decide the right course of action and location. It could also be due to a lack of immediately available ward beds. We always strive to optimise patient flow through our hospital in line with the Government’s health targets of shorter stays in ED.”

Data shows just 0.4% of patients had a 24-hour stay in the emergency department, she said.

Regarding the registrar vacancies, she said one of the four medical ones will be filled by October.

“There are also three psychiatry registrar gaps in mental health services. We are working urgently to fill these vacancies and this is a priority. We are committed to growing our recruitment pipeline through students, trainees, and cadetships.”

She said house officers and registrars are supported by the senior group of doctors in their area of work including the heads of that department and professionally by the chief medical advisers.

“We are extremely fortunate to have a fantastic group of engaged and solutions-focused doctors who we are always happy to work with to solve challenges. We continue to recruit for vacancies and remain committed to the safety of our staff and patients.”