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Change in Health Minister irrelevant if no policy transformation says nurses organisation

28 January, 2025

Interview by Evie Richardson, adapted by Imogene Bedford

Chief Executive of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Paul Goulter, says the government’s healthcare funding policy needs to re-centre patient needs. Image: Wikimedia Commons

Last week, Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, announced a significant cabinet reshuffle that has seen National MP, Dr Shane Reti demoted from the health portfolio, being replaced by fellow National MP, Simeon Brown.

Prior to this development, many expected Reti to lose his health portfolio, amidst Aotearoa’s health sector which has faced staff shortages, funding deficits, and governance concerns.

Although Luxon says Brown is “up for the challenge,” some are concerned about the newly appointed Heath Minister’s lack of prior experience in the sector.

Despite these concerns, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), Paul Goulter, told 95bFM’s The Wire the union is more concerned with the delivery of policy, rather than who holds the portfolio.

“What we think is the right course is to get our health system fixed; we want to work on that rather than get into debates.”

He says the government has been failing to appropriately fund and resource the country’s healthcare sector.

“It’s not just the quantum of money that is [being] received there, but it’s also the funding model. And in our view, the funding model is broken and that needs to be urgently addressed.”

With the pay gap between nurses working in hospitals and those working in primary care widening, many community health facilities are experiencing staff shortages.

This has caused increasingly long wait times Goulter says are contributing to the country’s poor health outcomes.

“If people are having to wait longer to get to see their doctor or it is too expensive to see a doctor, that means they will just put up with a health condition.”

The NZNO are advocating for pay parity for frontline nurses to reduce the number of staff moving to jobs in other areas or countries.

Goulter says the union hopes this will increase the community’s access to quality healthcare.

“Fundamentally, what we want to see is at the very centre of our health system, the patient and whānau.”

Listen to the full interview