ACEM Welcomes New Zealand’s Healthcare Workforce Crisis Solutions

The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM;
the College) welcomes the Aotearoa New Zealand
Government’s announcement of solutions aimed at addressing
the healthcare workforce crisis, and urges the government to
promptly implement the fixes to quickly reduce pressures on
overwhelmed emergency departments.

When successfully
implemented, the initiatives
and investments will deliver urgently needed
improvements in workforce sustainability, and positively
impact systemic pressures that lead to access
block, staff burn-out, ambulance ramping, excessive
waits for care and poorer outcomes for patients.

ACEM
is pleased that the announced initiatives include both
short-term and long-term approaches to addressing workforce
shortages, including investments and services aimed at
supporting overseas nurses and doctors to achieve
registration in New Zealand, and greater focus on supporting
the training of future healthcare workers.

The College
encourages the government to consider strategies and
incentives that ensure equitable distribution of workforce
in rural areas, which are most affected by the workforce
crisis, and to work with frontline healthcare workers on any
further workforce solutions.

The College has been
regularly drawing attention to the crippling issues being
experienced in the nation’s emergency departments (EDs),
that are leading to poorer outcomes for patients and
contributing to staff burnout. A dangerous shortage of
healthcare workers, particularly senior nurses and in
primary care, has been exacerbated by absences due to
illness, including COVID-19.

ACEM recently
welcomed the $1.1 billion for health in the budget and
called for a fix for the workforce crisis.

ACEM
Aotearoa New Zealand Chair Dr Kate Allan said, “Skilled
healthcare workers are the most important part of the
healthcare system and Aotearoa New Zealand’s emergency
doctors strongly welcome the government’s announcement of
initiatives aimed at increasing the amount of healthcare
workers across the health system now, and into the
future.”

“These urgently needed fixes must be
delivered as soon as possible – kiwis can’t wait any
longer.”

“The healthcare workforce crisis is being
experienced across the world, and we are grateful that the
New Zealand Government has listened to its healthcare
workers and provided tangible solutions to improve this
critical issue.”

Background:

ACEM is the
peak body for emergency medicine in Australia and New
Zealand, responsible for training emergency physicians and
advancement of professional standards. www.acem.org.au

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