– Proposed cuts a risk to health
recruitment
– Funding constraints see
proposals to reduce security focus
The
Government’s demands for savings in health mean Te Whatu
Ora Health New Zealand is proposing to cut 338 People and
Culture roles – at a time it when is struggling to recruit
people to provide health services for New
Zealanders.
In a change proposal released today Health
New Zealand says it is looking to reduce its People and
Culture services from 1632 roles to 1294 roles a net
reduction of 21% or 338 roles, (some of which are
vacant).
Public Service Association Te
Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur
Fitzsimons says People and Culture services are vital to
ensure there are enough health workers and the workers are
supported, kept safe, paid properly and kept
well.
“The People and Culture services
ensure health workers who feel safe and supported so they
can deliver the best possible health care to New
Zealanders,” Fitzsimons says.
“These cuts are just
another way the Government’s unfocussed reckless drive for
savings will impact the healthcare New Zealanders receive,”
Fitzsimons says.
“The PSA is seeking legal advice as
to whether it would also challenge this change proposal in
the Employment Relations Authority,” Fitzsimons
says.
One of the biggest areas for cuts will be the
Recruitment and Attraction function, which could see a net
126 roles go.
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“These cuts make no sense when the
delivery of health services is being held back by unfilled
vacancies right across an extremely stretched health
system,” Fitzsimons says.
The change proposal says the
reduction in recruitment is based on implementing a new
recruitment technology system, which is expected to take 12
months to roll out.
“This is a risky way to proceed.
We understand the new technology hasn’t yet been put out
to tender and its planned roll out would happen after Health
New Zealand implements significant cuts to its Data and
Digital team.
Two other areas that keep staff and
patients safe and assist staff return to work after injury
or illness are facing cuts:
– Occupational Health,
which will see a net loss of 27 roles
– Health &
Safety and Resilience, which will see a net loss of 55
roles.
The Organisational Culture and Development
function, responsible for staff education and development
and improving organisational culture, faces a net loss of 35
roles.
Another area for concern raised by the change
document is the proposal to “significantly reduce” core
parts of the security function that protects staff, property
and operations.
The Protective Services function in
the People and Culture team, which provides expert
leadership and advice on security, is facing a loss of a net
three roles.
The proposal says the challenge for the
function is the move from a “guards and gates model” to a
“proactive, risk-based approach”.
“Given
resourcing constraints we are proposing to significantly
reduce core components of a basic protective security
function. We anticipate that initiatives like security
incident response, corporate security, and regional support
would be scaled back to critical cases,” the change proposal
says.
“The allocation of resources and
reassessment of priorities with this function does present
several risks which require careful management of the work
programme and best utilisation of advisory activity,” the
proposal says.
Fitzsimons says the proposed changes to
security and protection are ominous.
“The proposals
underline that at a time of increased attacks on health
workers there is an urgent need for more investment in
security and protection, as there needs to be in the health
system
generally.”
