The New Zealand Nurses Organisation says a new Government fund to help nurses return to the healthcare sector will not be enough to relieve growing Covid-19 pressures on the workforce.
By Elizabeth Teese-Robinson
The Ministry of Health announced on Monday a $1 million fund to help grow the workforce to meet increased demand, support safe staffing, and improve access to care as pressures from Covid-19 continue.
The Ministry’s Chief Nursing Officer, Lorraine Hetaraka, welcomed the launch of the support fund, and said nurses are one of Aotearoa's cornerstones of the health and disability system.
"It’s so important we can grow the workforce to help meet demand and to ensure these nurses are experienced and skilled," she said.
Hetaraka said funding is available for 200 former nurses who'd like to re-enter the sector. There are more than 20,000 New Zealand-trained registered nurses who are not currently practising,
There are also 1000 internationally qualified nurses who are working in the aged residential care as health care assistants who may be eligible for the new support.
But, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Manager Kerri Nuku said although the fund goes some way to acknowledging a nursing crisis, "it is a very small step towards a bigger issue."
She said Covid-19 has exposed the true depths of the current nursing crisis.
"These positions must go to where there is the biggest demand/shortage and to the clinical areas of greatest need for it to have any immediate effect."
Nuku is calling for a more comprehensive strategy that supports nurses, such as attracting school leavers into nursing and then employment and retention.
"We must do more to address these issues which will again have the longer-term impact."
The Ministry of Health is set to launch other campaigns over the next few months to help increase the nursing health workforce.
The new fund covers up to $5000 of an applicant’s training courses, English language proficiency tests, administration fees and other individual costs, such as childcare, transport and uniforms.
There will be two rounds of applications, with the first round open from February 14. The second round will open in May 2022.
More details on how employers can apply for the funding is available on the Ministry of Health website.
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