July 18, 2022
Surgery cut as flu overwhelms hospitals
Health Minister Andrew Little says the health workforce is under extraordinary pressure, but he denies the system is falling apart.
Not only is the number of Covid cases rising, but health workers are dealing with a flu season like they have never seen before, and which is putting many staff out of action.
“Senior clinicians and hospital management are to do the right things trying to alleviate that pressure and that does mean people who are expecting their elective surgeries, their planned care, they’re now seeing those have been postponed and there are more delays there. That’s unfortunate but it’s about keeping everybody safe,” Mr Little says
He says a lot of work is going on to fill vacancies in the system, and one of the benefits of the shift to Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand is recruiting can now be coordinated at a national level.