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November 28, 2024
Te Whatu Ora cuts affecting communities
Atereano Mateariki
Posted On November 28, 2024
Download AudioAndrew Connolly, Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau Chief Medical Officer, says it is hard to judge the impact of recently announced health staff cuts, however, they know what they need.
The Public Service Association announced yesterday that nearly 1,500 roles have been cut from Te Whatu Ora including 47% of their entire Data and Digital group and 24% of their National Public Health Service.
Connolly says these cuts are affecting community health advising, the data engine room of the health sector, and Māori and Pacific health advisory roles.
He says Counties Manukau wants to grow their Māori and Pacific teams and they hope Health New Zealand’s focus on supporting regional staffing could present an opportunity to recruit more staff.
“We know where we want to put our staff. What all the announcements yesterday mean in terms of whether people, unfortunately, are losing their jobs, or whether there’s an opportunity for us to therefore pick up staff and have them employed specifically for Counties or for other districts in the region? I don’t know yet,” says Connolly.
Andrew Connolly says Counties Manukau also needs more clinical workers, especially with new operating rooms opening at the Manukau Super Clinic in a year’s time.
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