It doesn't matter how modern the equipment or how flash the new logo will be.
If Little adheres to the same neo-liberal playbook;
play hardball in the pay parity negotiations,
out-source the training of staff (immigration),
have bean counters and accountants run the hospitals
and continue the race to the bottom attitude with sub-contracting food, security, laundry, IT and maintenance, not a lot will change.
Squandering a once in a lifetime opportunity to make real change…
The NZ public health sector has 80,000 staff, making HealthNZ/ Te Whatu Ora the largest employer in Aotearoa. Getting the IT systems aligned is a big part of the reforms. Your resentment of recruiting skilled workers is weird. I don’t get your problem with contracting out various services either.
The “opportunity for real change” is being realised. The end goal is to cut waiting lists and balance health services across Aotearoa as effectively as possible by working together instead of 20 separate DHBs
Their aims are impressive Roblogic. Meanwhile back at the coal face wait times are increasing because the Minister is failing to settle the pay dispute, nurses are burnt out and will look to go to greaner pastures.
The minister should have made his one and only priorty fixing the workforce shortages. Until that happens our health system will remain at crisis
If recruiting experienced workers from overseas worked, we wouldn’t have the issues we have now as this has been the tactic for the last few administrations. Also our health staffing should reflect our population ie more Māori and PI, we don’t need more UK, Phillipino,Indian staff.
Let’s face it, not training/upskilling is a consequence of neo-liberal thinking. witness hospitality and construction industries. Staff are seen as an expense, a cost rather than an asset to be invested in.
As for bringing support roles in-house l, it’s a wonderful way to build a resilient workforce where loyalty and a sense of belonging can be nurtured. Some hospital food contracts are about frozen food being delivered from outside the district and reheated. Hardly ideal for folk that are convalescing.
The whole ‘efficiency’ argument is akin to trickle down.
No comment on the Health Minister’s lack of enthusiasm for settling the pay parity?
The whole ‘efficiency’ argument is akin to trickle down.
Not sure what you mean by that. In hospitals and other medium-large complex organisations people on the ground and at the lower/lowest management levels pick up most of the slack caused through inefficiencies. Often, they don’t realise it or just accept it as ‘par for the course’ or as ‘part of the job’ but it can take up a significant portion of their time, energy, and efforts and thus acts as a drain on primary and vital resources. Even worse is when they must actively battle the system and try ‘repair’ or ‘clean up’ the mess caused by inefficient organisational management. A top-heavy management and bureaucracy is both cause and effect of intrinsic problems with(in) the organisation.
Perhaps I should quote the whistleblower from Rotorua Hospital
"We are facing extrem staff shortages. We are currently 13.89 FTEs down and increasing, that is equivalent to 140 shifts a fortnight in gaps"
"While Daniels (nurses union) declined to discuss any specific hospital or department, she said that NZ is short of 21,000 nurses….patient risk increases without the right nursing staff in the right areas"…" asked toperform as before "in dangerous situations", with ED full, but not enough nurses"
From Stuff 22 October 2022 (will try and post the link)
"The patient left the ED and deteriorated shortly after leaving and returned to Ed where they were seen immediately. Sadly the patient did not respond to medical treatment and they died the following day….ED was very busy during this period which meant wait times were longer than usual"
And from Stuff 24th August 2022. "The findings from an investigation into a patints death at Middlemore Hospital emergency department in June highlight the extreme pressureit had been operating under due to staffing shortages and surging patient numbers. ……The patient arrived at MM ED with a severe headache and was told it would be hours before she could be seen and she left…..she returned to the hospital some hours later in an ambulance having experienced a massive brain haemorrhage and died the following day"
There have been more of these cases.
But by all means pat Little on the back for putting all his time and energy into a shiny new bureacracy. When the ship is finally turned around (Health NZ estimates it will take 5 years to see any real change, don't be surprized if you find there is no health system…….those people who are the health system, you know people who treat you if you are sick will have buggered off to somewhere where they are well treated (rather than having to fight for the pay and conditions, while being told their is racsim in the Health system and they must "reflect" on this).
BTW Ian Powell, the former Executive Director of Salaried Medical Specialists, writes extensively on the state of our Health System, and in one of his columns he recounts how in 2017 he spoke to David Clark about what needed to happen in the health sector. He told David there were three problems: workforce shortage, workforce shortage and workforce shortage. Labour have had five years on this.
Shane Reti spoke well on Q and A about what he would do to fix the health service. Clear concrete ideas. I posted it recently.
Well, it was formally launched just over 4 months ago. Your question is rhetorical and/or unanswerable as it stands, and IMO it does not easily lead to anything useful.
Sacha this was my response to Roblogic which I have copied and pasted in response to your comment about "flapping their gums". I made the assumption that this refers to me.
I often find on the Standare when people use such puts downs it is because their argument is weak.
"What catastrophe are you blathering about?"
Perhaps I should quote the whistleblower from Rotorua Hospital
"We are facing extrem staff shortages. We are currently 13.89 FTEs down and increasing, that is equivalent to 140 shifts a fortnight in gaps"
"While Daniels (nurses union) declined to discuss any specific hospital or department, she said that NZ is short of 21,000 nurses….patient risk increases without the right nursing staff in the right areas"…" asked toperform as before "in dangerous situations", with ED full, but not enough nurses"
From Stuff 22 October 2022 (will try and post the link)
"The patient left the ED and deteriorated shortly after leaving and returned to Ed where they were seen immediately. Sadly the patient did not respond to medical treatment and they died the following day….ED was very busy during this period which meant wait times were longer than usual"
And from Stuff 24th August 2022. "The findings from an investigation into a patints death at Middlemore Hospital emergency department in June highlight the extreme pressureit had been operating under due to staffing shortages and surging patient numbers. ……The patient arrived at MM ED with a severe headache and was told it would be hours before she could be seen and she left…..she returned to the hospital some hours later in an ambulance having experienced a massive brain haemorrhage and died the following day"
There have been more of these cases.
But by all means pat Little on the back for putting all his time and energy into a shiny new bureacracy. When the ship is finally turned around (Health NZ estimates it will take 5 years to see any real change, don't be surprized if you find there is no health system…….those people who are the health system, you know people who treat you if you are sick will have buggered off to somewhere where they are well treated (rather than having to fight for the pay and conditions, while being told their is racsim in the Health system and they must "reflect" on this).
BTW Ian Powell, the former Executive Director of Salaried Medical Specialists, writes extensively on the state of our Health System, and in one of his columns he recounts how in 2017 he spoke to David Clark about what needed to happen in the health sector. He told David there were three problems: workforce shortage, workforce shortage and workforce shortage. Labour have had five years on this.
Shane Reti spoke well on Q and A about what he would do to fix the health service. Clear concrete ideas. I posted it recently.
My point is Incognito, that restructuring the bureacracy should have been the lowest priority, in a pandemic and when we are facing the workforce shortage we have.
If you have time read my response to Roblogic above. It outlines what a catastropic situation with are in.
You completely ignore the inefficiencies & duplication in the current system that’s hopelessly fragmented and is wasting huge amounts of money and time of good people on bureaucracy & ‘management’. You also ignore the need for better coordination and sharing of epidemiological intelligence in future pandemics. Your approach is to let this haemorrhaging continue until and only after we’ve fixed all the other issues. The best approach is, IMO, to do both because both must be done simultaneously, although on different time scales. The many huge workforce issues (e.g., recruiting and retaining skilled staff where they’re needed most) are not even unique to NZ, partly because this nation competes for skilled healthcare workers on the global market, but the structural reorganisation is specific to this country.
I would never say the old DHBs were great and all was good. However they served us well enough during Covid.
The main issue I give upmost priority to is the health workforce staff. Recruiting and retaining them and keeping them safe in their work environment.
Can you give me some examples of the duplication and time wasting in the old DHB system.
I have a close contact who worked in the old system and now Health NZ.
This person is quite high up. They say that Health NZ is in a complete shambles and in their opinion is unlikely to achived equity (I realize that is only their opinion, but I do value it).
There was another article in Stuff recently where senior Drs said all they have noticed so far from the health reforms was a change of logo.
I am not entirely against health reforms, but during a pandemic? I seem to recall one Minister saying that one reason Ashleigh B left is because he didn't have it in him to manage the reforms.
Having worked in the health system many moons ago, I know that things that happened in Wellington have very little impact on what we did (as long as we had adequate staffing, good mentoring and the chance to do meaningful professional development). Adequate staffing (as there was back then, ) allowed us to get on a do our best work.
Can you give me some examples of the duplication and time wasting in the old DHB system.
Look, if you don’t read the comments made here then replying to you is just a waste of (my) time.
IT has already been mentioned. The DHBs have their own IT fiefdoms departments.
Procurement is another obvious candidate for centralisation.
The provision of very highly specialised medical services in and by only a few lead DHBs should be coordinated (and funded) through one national agency instead of individual DHBs and MoH.
These are just a few high-level examples, and I could go on …
Yes the various historic health boards all have their own legacy IT systems. None of which speak to one another (which is why hospital patients being transferred from one hospital to another – even within the same historic health board (e.g. Waitakere and North Shore) – come complete with a paper dossier (it's the folder you're given to clutch as they load you into the ambulance – OK, sometimes the ambos keep it, if you're really sick)
The IT companies (mostly international) are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of a nation-wide IT system in health. Millions (if not billions) of dollars, and a multi-year implementation plan (migrating legacy data is not a trivial exercise). The dollar signs are lighting up all over.
In the meantime – each IT department will absolutely need to retain their own staff (in order to keep their own legacy systems operational – we saw the disaster at Waikato when they went down). AND they will have to hire new staff to participate in this major project (potentially they'll hire the new staff to run the legacy systems, and transfer existing staff to the project – but it all means more FTE)
This is a state-of-play summary from 2020. It seems highly unlikely that anything has significantly improved since then.
Poor and outdated systems – mean that users and administrators are highly motivated to change (not to be sneezed at, institutional inertia is always a drag in projects) – but it also means that legacy data is likely to be difficult to extract, validate and export/import.
Possibly, 10-years down the track when everything is bedded it, the IT dept FTE will decrease. But it certainly isn't going to happen sooner.
I can't speak to procurement – but I will note that all of the procurement, and service booking systems are run off the IT core – so with fragmented IT systems, it's going to be a devil of a job to co-ordinate effectively across the whole of the new health system.
What I am saying is that the health workforce is in utter crisis (that is why I continue to post articles about it). If you don't have a well resourced health work force, you have nothing.
The health work force has been saving lives and treating people, long before the internet.
Have you been to the GP and/or Pharmacy lately? Have you noticed their computer screens? Have you had an MRI or CT-scan done lately, or an ECG? Computers, software, and IT systems make that work. Do you know that medical records are increasingly becoming digitized, including test results, prescriptions, DNA sequencing data, image data & processing, treatment planning (e.g. radiotherapy), et cetera? Do you know that making appointments and internal bookings (rooms, equipment & materials, people) rely on automated booking systems? Do you realise that stock & storage are now computer-controlled? Have you heard of tele-medicine or Zoom consults? And when was the last time you paid cash at the doctor’s?
We don’t live in the 20th century anymore and this is not just about stitching up people or plastering arms.
Its very obvious to me that the most pressing priority is the health work force.
Everyday there are articles in the major news sites about the state of the workforce. Today an article about a patient who had a long wait attacking another patients and abusing hospital staff. Shouldn't the Minister be putting out a statement that this is completely unaccepable? And a few days back staff in Chch being attack by a patient.
They don't seem to care a dam about the health work force
Yawn. Get some new material. Labour has made more progress in the Health portfolio than National could be bothered with in its 9 years. Nine years of pay freezes and waiting lists cut for no reason apart from political convenience.
When I busted my arm in early 2020 — a severe break needing surgery — I couldn't even get an *appointment* at Orthopaedics in Whangarei. Went to Auckland instead and finally got someone to look at the damn X ray, they said "oh" and rushed me in to surgery – about 9 days later.
"Yawn. Get some new material. Labour has made more progress in the Health portfolio than National could be bothered with in its 9 years. Nine years of pay freezes and waiting lists cut for no reason apart from political convenience."
What I am saying is that the health workforce is in utter crisis (that is why I continue to post articles about it). If you don't have a well resourced health work force, you have nothing.
The health work force has been saving lives and treating people, long before the internet.
Yes so much has improved under Health NZ……( I am sorry to have to stoop to sarcism here)
But really that you couldn't get an orthopaedics appointment in Whangarei. That is my whole point. If we are short of health professionals and there is a the sort of crisis we are seeing as I have documented, then that is where Andrew Little's attention needs to go. Now
SBF is the owner of multiple exchanges and hedge funds all connected (he has lost 15b$ overnight) and Crypto is now in full meltdown as everyone runs for the exits.
Do you see the utterly regressive and sexist nature of gender ideology yet? And why so many women are saying no. (see if you can separate the ideology from transness)
While it may be unkind to view adult behaviour and lifestyles as pathological, it is much worse to channel children into a lifetime of dysfunction and difficulty because of a phase or a fad.
Trans is a western concept of categorizing people who are not living their 'sex' as prescribed by society – with the end goal of medically and surgically modfying bodies for the supposed mental wellbeing of the people identified as trans and the very handsome profits of the medical industrial complex. Trans creates people who will end up living their lives totally and utterly dependent on the medical complex, much like a person who is type 1 diabetic is
livelong depended on government to setting affordable prices for insulin.
Fa'afafine is the concept / word for categorizing people who are not living their sex stereotypes in the Samoan culture, but as far as i am concerned they are still male, still play sports with the men, physically stay men, but live their lives in a societal fashion more attributed to females.
I would never even consider comparing the two as they are very different.
I doubt that there is a movement in Samoa trying to remove the word mother/woman from people with the ability to get pregnant, stay pregnant and then ‘birth’ a child. While here in our western world we are very much agitating to remove the word mother – implying ownership over the child to a term that could literally be a job describtion. Birth giver, birthing person, birthers – which implies one is doing a thing, but implies no ownership. After all a dog / cat / horse / dairy cows are all birth givers.
In fact maybe our western social concept of trans could learn some from the Samoan concept of Fa'afafine – like a women vs trans – is a woman no different at all to the things we no longer want to call women in order to not be offensive to people who want to be men and the people who want to be women.
Fa'afafine is a descriptor of those that exhibit certain behaviours within the Samoan culture. Unlike the TWAW mantra, they are recognised as men. That clarity is significant. The fact they are now used as legitimacy for current gender ideology is through convenience not accuracy.
"Your comment is incredibly dismissive, pathologising many people who are gender non-conforming."
Given the ever increasing numbers of behaviours and groups sheltering under the trans umbrella, I think this is an understandable overreach, but one that still could apply to a significant percentage the third group roblogic identified.
As you clarified those who are just gender non-conforming, will most likely not be AGP.
This subject is such a minefield, ripe for misunderstanding to blow up.
I am happy to see people living free from gender stereotypes.
I am not happy to see young people rejecting their natural bodies and attempting to conform to an opposite stereotype via drastic surgery and dangerous doses of hormones.
Research into the causes of gender incongruence isn't "pathologising" people, it is exploring why they exhibit these behaviours. Understanding leads to compassion, and might open up new treatments for those who choose it.
I think Blanchfield also talked about the passive male to female trans, who had identified with female gender stereotypes as a young child and wants to be a very submissive "woman"
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Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
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Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
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While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/130408721/we-are-in-crisis-says-ed-whistleblower-who-claims-10-shifts-every-24-hours-vacant
this is very very serious. Little needs to front
no tertiary debt repayment required while working in public health (nurses/doctors – and make it zero after 10 years).
have a plan to increase wage levels in public health to the Oz wage (year by year over 10 years).
"no tertiary debt repayment required while working in public health (nurses/doctors – and make it zero after 10 years)."
Also, while training, receive a weekly payment of $300. No need to pay it back if still working after 5 years.
He needs to front? Not again …
naked painting of Andrew Little. Big no thanks.
little has to take responsibility for this catastrophe and the lives lost.
remind me again of how much money NZ health has cost and what it has achieved?
What catastrophe are you blathering about. Covid?
Or are you saying we should not bother to modernise and upgrade our health infrastructure and let it continue to rot like the Nats did??
And you've accused Little of "lives lost". Evidence please.
It doesn't matter how modern the equipment or how flash the new logo will be.
If Little adheres to the same neo-liberal playbook;
play hardball in the pay parity negotiations,
out-source the training of staff (immigration),
have bean counters and accountants run the hospitals
and continue the race to the bottom attitude with sub-contracting food, security, laundry, IT and maintenance, not a lot will change.
Squandering a once in a lifetime opportunity to make real change…
The NZ public health sector has 80,000 staff, making HealthNZ/ Te Whatu Ora the largest employer in Aotearoa. Getting the IT systems aligned is a big part of the reforms. Your resentment of recruiting skilled workers is weird. I don’t get your problem with contracting out various services either.
The “opportunity for real change” is being realised. The end goal is to cut waiting lists and balance health services across Aotearoa as effectively as possible by working together instead of 20 separate DHBs
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_New_Zealand
Their aims are impressive Roblogic. Meanwhile back at the coal face wait times are increasing because the Minister is failing to settle the pay dispute, nurses are burnt out and will look to go to greaner pastures.
The minister should have made his one and only priorty fixing the workforce shortages. Until that happens our health system will remain at crisis
If recruiting experienced workers from overseas worked, we wouldn’t have the issues we have now as this has been the tactic for the last few administrations. Also our health staffing should reflect our population ie more Māori and PI, we don’t need more UK, Phillipino,Indian staff.
Let’s face it, not training/upskilling is a consequence of neo-liberal thinking. witness hospitality and construction industries. Staff are seen as an expense, a cost rather than an asset to be invested in.
As for bringing support roles in-house l, it’s a wonderful way to build a resilient workforce where loyalty and a sense of belonging can be nurtured. Some hospital food contracts are about frozen food being delivered from outside the district and reheated. Hardly ideal for folk that are convalescing.
The whole ‘efficiency’ argument is akin to trickle down.
No comment on the Health Minister’s lack of enthusiasm for settling the pay parity?
Not sure what you mean by that. In hospitals and other medium-large complex organisations people on the ground and at the lower/lowest management levels pick up most of the slack caused through inefficiencies. Often, they don’t realise it or just accept it as ‘par for the course’ or as ‘part of the job’ but it can take up a significant portion of their time, energy, and efforts and thus acts as a drain on primary and vital resources. Even worse is when they must actively battle the system and try ‘repair’ or ‘clean up’ the mess caused by inefficient organisational management. A top-heavy management and bureaucracy is both cause and effect of intrinsic problems with(in) the organisation.
Just that efficiency was cited by Chicago School acolytes as a reason for out sourcing.
I hear what you say about workers battling the system. I live with someone with a moral injury.
Sorry to hear that, but IIRC I already knew that, right?
Cheers, I have talked around the moral injury.
Things are better, being in a different environment, maternity.
I didn't say 'efficiency'
I said 'effectiveness' … i.e. delivery of good outcomes for patients & whanau
Nothing wrong with either, unless 'efficiency' is taken to the extreme end of cost-cutting madness (per Elon Musk)
"What catastrophe are you blathering about?"
Perhaps I should quote the whistleblower from Rotorua Hospital
"We are facing extrem staff shortages. We are currently 13.89 FTEs down and increasing, that is equivalent to 140 shifts a fortnight in gaps"
"While Daniels (nurses union) declined to discuss any specific hospital or department, she said that NZ is short of 21,000 nurses….patient risk increases without the right nursing staff in the right areas"…" asked toperform as before "in dangerous situations", with ED full, but not enough nurses"
From Stuff 22 October 2022 (will try and post the link)
"The patient left the ED and deteriorated shortly after leaving and returned to Ed where they were seen immediately. Sadly the patient did not respond to medical treatment and they died the following day….ED was very busy during this period which meant wait times were longer than usual"
And from Stuff 24th August 2022. "The findings from an investigation into a patints death at Middlemore Hospital emergency department in June highlight the extreme pressureit had been operating under due to staffing shortages and surging patient numbers. ……The patient arrived at MM ED with a severe headache and was told it would be hours before she could be seen and she left…..she returned to the hospital some hours later in an ambulance having experienced a massive brain haemorrhage and died the following day"
There have been more of these cases.
But by all means pat Little on the back for putting all his time and energy into a shiny new bureacracy. When the ship is finally turned around (Health NZ estimates it will take 5 years to see any real change, don't be surprized if you find there is no health system…….those people who are the health system, you know people who treat you if you are sick will have buggered off to somewhere where they are well treated (rather than having to fight for the pay and conditions, while being told their is racsim in the Health system and they must "reflect" on this).
BTW Ian Powell, the former Executive Director of Salaried Medical Specialists, writes extensively on the state of our Health System, and in one of his columns he recounts how in 2017 he spoke to David Clark about what needed to happen in the health sector. He told David there were three problems: workforce shortage, workforce shortage and workforce shortage. Labour have had five years on this.
Shane Reti spoke well on Q and A about what he would do to fix the health service. Clear concrete ideas. I posted it recently.
These problems are not unique to New Zealand. Health is always a huge issue for public-minded governments, pandemic or no.
USA: Health systems buckle under latest surge of COVID hospitalizations | PBS NewsHour
Australia: Public Hospitals under pressure | Australian Medical Association (ama.com.au)
UK: NHS workforce shortages and staff burnout are taking a toll | The BMJ
Like a habadasher, you're working on your material.
Comparing the U$A health system with ours, then calling them public minded.
Excellent stuff!
Yes. As opposed to the deliberate bald faced lies and Covid coverups of the Trump administration.
Just circling back to the matter we were discussing before your confetti of links, any thoughts on Little's approach to his workforce?
Well, it was formally launched just over 4 months ago. Your question is rhetorical and/or unanswerable as it stands, and IMO it does not easily lead to anything useful.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_New_Zealand
Huge change process. Turning a supertanker, etc. Wasting our time with anyone who refuses to learn the basics before flapping their gums.
Sacha this was my response to Roblogic which I have copied and pasted in response to your comment about "flapping their gums". I made the assumption that this refers to me.
I often find on the Standare when people use such puts downs it is because their argument is weak.
"What catastrophe are you blathering about?"
Perhaps I should quote the whistleblower from Rotorua Hospital
"We are facing extrem staff shortages. We are currently 13.89 FTEs down and increasing, that is equivalent to 140 shifts a fortnight in gaps"
"While Daniels (nurses union) declined to discuss any specific hospital or department, she said that NZ is short of 21,000 nurses….patient risk increases without the right nursing staff in the right areas"…" asked toperform as before "in dangerous situations", with ED full, but not enough nurses"
From Stuff 22 October 2022 (will try and post the link)
"The patient left the ED and deteriorated shortly after leaving and returned to Ed where they were seen immediately. Sadly the patient did not respond to medical treatment and they died the following day….ED was very busy during this period which meant wait times were longer than usual"
And from Stuff 24th August 2022. "The findings from an investigation into a patints death at Middlemore Hospital emergency department in June highlight the extreme pressureit had been operating under due to staffing shortages and surging patient numbers. ……The patient arrived at MM ED with a severe headache and was told it would be hours before she could be seen and she left…..she returned to the hospital some hours later in an ambulance having experienced a massive brain haemorrhage and died the following day"
There have been more of these cases.
But by all means pat Little on the back for putting all his time and energy into a shiny new bureacracy. When the ship is finally turned around (Health NZ estimates it will take 5 years to see any real change, don't be surprized if you find there is no health system…….those people who are the health system, you know people who treat you if you are sick will have buggered off to somewhere where they are well treated (rather than having to fight for the pay and conditions, while being told their is racsim in the Health system and they must "reflect" on this).
BTW Ian Powell, the former Executive Director of Salaried Medical Specialists, writes extensively on the state of our Health System, and in one of his columns he recounts how in 2017 he spoke to David Clark about what needed to happen in the health sector. He told David there were three problems: workforce shortage, workforce shortage and workforce shortage. Labour have had five years on this.
Shane Reti spoke well on Q and A about what he would do to fix the health service. Clear concrete ideas. I posted it recently.
It was a general observation. Wrestling pigs, etc
My point is Incognito, that restructuring the bureacracy should have been the lowest priority, in a pandemic and when we are facing the workforce shortage we have.
If you have time read my response to Roblogic above. It outlines what a catastropic situation with are in.
You completely ignore the inefficiencies & duplication in the current system that’s hopelessly fragmented and is wasting huge amounts of money and time of good people on bureaucracy & ‘management’. You also ignore the need for better coordination and sharing of epidemiological intelligence in future pandemics. Your approach is to let this haemorrhaging continue until and only after we’ve fixed all the other issues. The best approach is, IMO, to do both because both must be done simultaneously, although on different time scales. The many huge workforce issues (e.g., recruiting and retaining skilled staff where they’re needed most) are not even unique to NZ, partly because this nation competes for skilled healthcare workers on the global market, but the structural reorganisation is specific to this country.
I would never say the old DHBs were great and all was good. However they served us well enough during Covid.
The main issue I give upmost priority to is the health workforce staff. Recruiting and retaining them and keeping them safe in their work environment.
Can you give me some examples of the duplication and time wasting in the old DHB system.
I have a close contact who worked in the old system and now Health NZ.
This person is quite high up. They say that Health NZ is in a complete shambles and in their opinion is unlikely to achived equity (I realize that is only their opinion, but I do value it).
There was another article in Stuff recently where senior Drs said all they have noticed so far from the health reforms was a change of logo.
I am not entirely against health reforms, but during a pandemic? I seem to recall one Minister saying that one reason Ashleigh B left is because he didn't have it in him to manage the reforms.
Having worked in the health system many moons ago, I know that things that happened in Wellington have very little impact on what we did (as long as we had adequate staffing, good mentoring and the chance to do meaningful professional development). Adequate staffing (as there was back then, ) allowed us to get on a do our best work.
Health professionals are exhausted.
Look, if you don’t read the comments made here then replying to you is just a waste of (my) time.
IT has already been mentioned. The DHBs have their own IT
fiefdomsdepartments.Procurement is another obvious candidate for centralisation.
The provision of very highly specialised medical services in and by only a few lead DHBs should be coordinated (and funded) through one national agency instead of individual DHBs and MoH.
These are just a few high-level examples, and I could go on …
I can speak a bit about IT.
Yes the various historic health boards all have their own legacy IT systems. None of which speak to one another (which is why hospital patients being transferred from one hospital to another – even within the same historic health board (e.g. Waitakere and North Shore) – come complete with a paper dossier (it's the folder you're given to clutch as they load you into the ambulance – OK, sometimes the ambos keep it, if you're really sick)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/functionally-obsolete-it-system-at-auckland-hospital-to-be-scrapped/2KWD4MTSLNWCGSGKQTWXLHCXGU/
The IT companies (mostly international) are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of a nation-wide IT system in health. Millions (if not billions) of dollars, and a multi-year implementation plan (migrating legacy data is not a trivial exercise). The dollar signs are lighting up all over.
In the meantime – each IT department will absolutely need to retain their own staff (in order to keep their own legacy systems operational – we saw the disaster at Waikato when they went down). AND they will have to hire new staff to participate in this major project (potentially they'll hire the new staff to run the legacy systems, and transfer existing staff to the project – but it all means more FTE)
This is a state-of-play summary from 2020. It seems highly unlikely that anything has significantly improved since then.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/418645/hospital-stocktake-shows-14b-in-upgrades-required-and-outdated-it-systems
Poor and outdated systems – mean that users and administrators are highly motivated to change (not to be sneezed at, institutional inertia is always a drag in projects) – but it also means that legacy data is likely to be difficult to extract, validate and export/import.
Possibly, 10-years down the track when everything is bedded it, the IT dept FTE will decrease. But it certainly isn't going to happen sooner.
I can't speak to procurement – but I will note that all of the procurement, and service booking systems are run off the IT core – so with fragmented IT systems, it's going to be a devil of a job to co-ordinate effectively across the whole of the new health system.
It'll be a bargain anyway compared to this one.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/18/nhs-records-system-10bn
Are you saying that they’re cursed when they do and damned if they don’t? It’s a little unclear …
Thanks Belladonna.
Yeah, cheers Belladonna, good insights.
Sure, but it came at a price.
Contact tracing across the DHBs was not centrally coordinated and neither was there proper oversight of the number of ventilators or ICU beds.
I don't argue with the need for IT upgrades.
What I am saying is that the health workforce is in utter crisis (that is why I continue to post articles about it). If you don't have a well resourced health work force, you have nothing.
The health work force has been saving lives and treating people, long before the internet.
It is not an either-or.
Have you been to the GP and/or Pharmacy lately? Have you noticed their computer screens? Have you had an MRI or CT-scan done lately, or an ECG? Computers, software, and IT systems make that work. Do you know that medical records are increasingly becoming digitized, including test results, prescriptions, DNA sequencing data, image data & processing, treatment planning (e.g. radiotherapy), et cetera? Do you know that making appointments and internal bookings (rooms, equipment & materials, people) rely on automated booking systems? Do you realise that stock & storage are now computer-controlled? Have you heard of tele-medicine or Zoom consults? And when was the last time you paid cash at the doctor’s?
We don’t live in the 20th century anymore and this is not just about stitching up people or plastering arms.
I struggle to understand why we are having to repeat the same stuff over and over to an allegedly left leaning crowd, underneath a red standard.
Doubly so with a majority MMP government and a firmer union man as Health Minister.
Completely agree Gsays.
Its very obvious to me that the most pressing priority is the health work force.
Everyday there are articles in the major news sites about the state of the workforce. Today an article about a patient who had a long wait attacking another patients and abusing hospital staff. Shouldn't the Minister be putting out a statement that this is completely unaccepable? And a few days back staff in Chch being attack by a patient.
They don't seem to care a dam about the health work force
Yawn. Get some new material. Labour has made more progress in the Health portfolio than National could be bothered with in its 9 years. Nine years of pay freezes and waiting lists cut for no reason apart from political convenience.
When I busted my arm in early 2020 — a severe break needing surgery — I couldn't even get an *appointment* at Orthopaedics in Whangarei. Went to Auckland instead and finally got someone to look at the damn X ray, they said "oh" and rushed me in to surgery – about 9 days later.
The DHB system sucked
"Yawn. Get some new material. Labour has made more progress in the Health portfolio than National could be bothered with in its 9 years. Nine years of pay freezes and waiting lists cut for no reason apart from political convenience."
Damning with faint praise there rob.
`
from https://figure.nz/chart/c77PxswJK8z1pA2u
All that money but not enough for pay parity, maybe it's just a lack of will.
I don't argue with the need for IT upgrades.
What I am saying is that the health workforce is in utter crisis (that is why I continue to post articles about it). If you don't have a well resourced health work force, you have nothing.
The health work force has been saving lives and treating people, long before the internet.
Please stop making duplicate comments; one suffices.
Yes so much has improved under Health NZ……( I am sorry to have to stoop to sarcism here)
But really that you couldn't get an orthopaedics appointment in Whangarei. That is my whole point. If we are short of health professionals and there is a the sort of crisis we are seeing as I have documented, then that is where Andrew Little's attention needs to go. Now
That was an example from 2.5 years ago, before Covid, before any reforms. Unbalanced
Heaven to hell in 24 hours in cryptoland.
https://twitter.com/FTX_Official/status/1589680515426443264
https://twitter.com/BloombergUK/status/1590112813552668673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1590112813552668673%7Ctwgr%5E97b2cf58bcb0b8215c5fcde79a9f8ef7d6b305a8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FBloombergUK2Fstatus2F1590112813552668673widget%3DTweet
While I'm here, go Captain Kane and the team. Semi-final vs Pakistan @ 9pm.
Even though the alarm goes off at 5.15, I aim to watch the game.
Yes Go the Black Caps.
My heart is still in my mouth watching the BCs!
nice to see good change.
https://twitter.com/wekatweets/status/1590254424404164608
https://bitcoinhackers.org/@mastodonusercount/109312790443967410
What's happened in the US today?
https://twitter.com/0liviajulianna/status/1590225340697579522
Guess where the job losses are coming from.
https://twitter.com/michaeljburry/status/1588612303926087680?cxt=HHwWgMCi1aee8YssAAAA
https://twitter.com/monitoringbias/status/1589976029187244033
those are extraordinary figures, but my first question is how do they know?
From open secrets in US.Also good at tracking donors in the so called super pacs.
Another one is unusual whales who tracks large donors,and politicians investments .(via Bianco research).
https://twitter.com/biancoresearch/status/1589821335227990016?cxt=HHwWgIDQ6ZiFl5AsAAAA
SBF is the owner of multiple exchanges and hedge funds all connected (he has lost 15b$ overnight) and Crypto is now in full meltdown as everyone runs for the exits.
https://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrote/status/1590240093482409984
is that pattern a habit of US voters? Vote for the party against the president to balance power?
I think midterm election results usually reflect presidential approval ratings. But this time the alternative appalled an awful lot of voters.
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/analyses/the-2022-midterm-elections-what-the-historical-data-suggest
Incredible
https://twitter.com/xruiztru/status/1589622943122075650
Do you see the utterly regressive and sexist nature of gender ideology yet? And why so many women are saying no. (see if you can separate the ideology from transness)
https://twitter.com/helenstaniland/status/1590267659903709185
3 types of "trans"
1. Children… 100% caused by parental influence (munchausen by proxy)
2. Adolescents… 99% caused by social media and psychological problems
3. Adults, usually male to female.. very likely caused by pr0n and sexual fetish aka "autogynephilia"… the most toxic aggressive and vocal of the 3
None of the above have any basis in biology, unlike actual intersex/DSD related.
how do you explain fa'afafine?
If you're going to include AGP in your analysis, then Blanchard himself (who developed the definition) says that not all transwomen are AGP.
Your comment is incredibly dismissive, pathologising many people who are gender non-conforming.
Much of human experience isn't based in biology in the way you inply, but it still has meaning.
While it may be unkind to view adult behaviour and lifestyles as pathological, it is much worse to channel children into a lifetime of dysfunction and difficulty because of a phase or a fad.
"Self Love not Surgery"
(ps. I support gender nonconformity but not the present TRA movement, which looks a lot like MRA in drag)
Trans is a western concept of categorizing people who are not living their 'sex' as prescribed by society – with the end goal of medically and surgically modfying bodies for the supposed mental wellbeing of the people identified as trans and the very handsome profits of the medical industrial complex. Trans creates people who will end up living their lives totally and utterly dependent on the medical complex, much like a person who is type 1 diabetic is
livelong depended on government to setting affordable prices for insulin.
Fa'afafine is the concept / word for categorizing people who are not living their sex stereotypes in the Samoan culture, but as far as i am concerned they are still male, still play sports with the men, physically stay men, but live their lives in a societal fashion more attributed to females.
I would never even consider comparing the two as they are very different.
I doubt that there is a movement in Samoa trying to remove the word mother/woman from people with the ability to get pregnant, stay pregnant and then ‘birth’ a child. While here in our western world we are very much agitating to remove the word mother – implying ownership over the child to a term that could literally be a job describtion. Birth giver, birthing person, birthers – which implies one is doing a thing, but implies no ownership. After all a dog / cat / horse / dairy cows are all birth givers.
In fact maybe our western social concept of trans could learn some from the Samoan concept of Fa'afafine – like a women vs trans – is a woman no different at all to the things we no longer want to call women in order to not be offensive to people who want to be men and the people who want to be women.
"how do you explain fa'afafine?"
Fa'afafine is a descriptor of those that exhibit certain behaviours within the Samoan culture. Unlike the TWAW mantra, they are recognised as men. That clarity is significant. The fact they are now used as legitimacy for current gender ideology is through convenience not accuracy.
"Your comment is incredibly dismissive, pathologising many people who are gender non-conforming."
Given the ever increasing numbers of behaviours and groups sheltering under the trans umbrella, I think this is an understandable overreach, but one that still could apply to a significant percentage the third group roblogic identified.
As you clarified those who are just gender non-conforming, will most likely not be AGP.
This subject is such a minefield, ripe for misunderstanding to blow up.
I am happy to see people living free from gender stereotypes.
I am not happy to see young people rejecting their natural bodies and attempting to conform to an opposite stereotype via drastic surgery and dangerous doses of hormones.
Research into the causes of gender incongruence isn't "pathologising" people, it is exploring why they exhibit these behaviours. Understanding leads to compassion, and might open up new treatments for those who choose it.
Now this we do agree on Roblogic.
I think Blanchfield also talked about the passive male to female trans, who had identified with female gender stereotypes as a young child and wants to be a very submissive "woman"
Tech correction continues with Meta transferring 13% of staff to the underverse,after loosing investors 211b$ so far this year.
https://twitter.com/business/status/1590302225355919360?cxt=HHwWgMDSvdfc8ZEsAAAA