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Health Minister Shane Reti says the shortage of nurses could be over.
Health Minister Shane Reti says the shortage of nurses could be over.
Dr Reti came into the role anticipating a shortage of up to 3000 nurses in the public system as well as 1500 needed in residential care.
But he says a large number of nurses have arrived in the country over the past quarter, so he’s having the vacancy rate looked at again.
“”Now it may be they’re mostly positioning into the public sector which still leaves primary care and aged residential care with a significant deficit but I have been made aware that large numbers of nurses have come into New Zealand in this past quarter,” Dr Reti says.
The health system also needs another 1500 specialists and senior medical officers and another 1500 GPs.
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