News – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

May 2025

‘It’s chaos — nurses, doctors brave weather bomb to strike, rally over ‘dangerous’ health system

By Kaitiaki coeditors

May 2, 2025

Despite an epic weather bomb dropping on ‘May Day’, May 1 saw large strikes and rallies throughout the country as nurses, doctors and other health workers joined in a desperate call for a safer health system.

April 2025

Nurse practitioners ‘safer’ than physician associates — NZNO president

By Kaitiaki co-editors

May 2, 2025

Allowing overseas-trained physician associates to become regulated here is a risky “quick fix” to doctor shortages, NZNO-Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa president Anne Daniels is warning.

April 2025

May Day: Striking nurses (and mokopuna) among thousands set to fight back tomorrow

By Renee Kiriona

April 30, 2025

Perioperative nurses at Auckland City Hospital, Starship Hospital and Greenlane Hospital will strike tomorrow while thousands of other nurses throughout the country use their break times to march and rally as part of the nationwide May Day events.

April 2025

Māori women and girl survivors of sexual violence face double trauma

By Emma Chevalier Trager-Lewis (UN Interviews)

April 23, 2025

Two Māori nursing leaders are at the United Nations highlighting the plight facing Māori health. In this interview with a UN reporter, they highlight the issue of violence, including sexual violence, toward Māori women who are three times more likely to be abused than non-Maori women.

April 2025

Nurses moved to tears by ‘overwhelming’ community support over Nelson Hospital

By Mary Longmore

April 15, 2025

A unexpectedly large community turnout moved Nelson Hospital staff to tears on Saturday as nurses, doctors, health-care assistants and families joined hands to form a 1000-strong human chain outside the hospital.

April 2025

Proposed constitutional shake-up would see ‘more egalitarian’ and te Tiriti-led NZNO

By Mary Longmore

April 11, 2025

All members will in May have the chance to vote on a proposed new NZNO — Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa constitution which would change the way the organisation is structured and members represented.

April 2025

Taupō could become health system’s next ‘Buller casualty’

By Renee Kiriona

April 11, 2025

Something serious is brewing in the central North Island like a “ticking time bomb” ready to go off any moment now, according to Malcolm Mulholland, head of Patient Voice Aotearoa.

April 2025

New Wellington Hospital carparks wonderful, say nurses

By Mary Longmore

April 11, 2025

‘We do feel like we’ve been listened to’, say staff over safety fears.

April 2025

NZNO mental health nurses call for immediate halt to police withdrawal

By coeditors

April 11, 2025

Police withdrawal from mental health call-outs should be stopped until Te Whatu Ora makes critical resources available, NZNO — Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa mental health nurses say.

April 2025

Nurses’ union backs call to scrap anti-Treaty bill

By Renee Kiriona

April 4, 2025

Parliament’s Justice Committee has released its report into the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and has recommended it does not proceed.

April 2025

Sexual health workers accept offer but ‘a long way to go’

By Renee Kiriona

April 4, 2025

Nurses and medical receptionists at Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (SWA – formerly Family Planning) poised for strike action, have accepted a pay rise — but their battle for pay parity continues.

April 2025

Bupa goes ahead with cuts to hours, a day after protest hīkoi

By Mary Longmore

April 3, 2025

Staff say they fear for residents after one of the country’s largest aged-care providers, Bupa, this week announced it was pushing ahead with roster changes that will see staff at 17 of its homes lose hours and flexibility.

March 2025

Are you a late-career nurse or caregiver? Fill out this survey about your career

By Kathy Stodart

March 31, 2025

If you’re a late-career nurse or caregiver — aged 50 and above — an important new workforce survey is seeking your opinions about your career.

March 2025

Bupa aged-care workers prepare to hīkoi in protest over proposed cuts

By Mary Longmore

March 28, 2025

Aged-care workers are preparing to hīkoi from the Auckland Domain to Bupa’s head office in Newmarket next Tuesday, a day before the profit-making global company reveals whether it’s going ahead with cuts to worker hours at 17 care homes around the country.

March 2025

Mental health nurse leader slams ‘distracting’ associate psychologist role

By Mary Longmore

March 26, 2025

Mental health nurse leader Helen Garrick says a new associate psychologist role being introduced here is a “distraction from the shortage of psychiatrists and mental health nurses”.

March 2025

Primary health-care nurses take offer but pay parity still on their radar

By Renee Kiriona

March 25, 2025

Primary health-care nurses are one step closer to getting the same pay as their fellow nurses working in hospitals or at Te Whatu Ora.

March 2025

Napier stands with Buller – kaumātua recall last closure

By Renee Kiriona

March 21, 2025

Communities in small towns and cities, where vital health services are being threatened, are getting behind the Buller Declaration to demand action from the Government.

March 2025

NZNO Pacific nurse leader recognised after 40 years of nursing

By Mary Longmore

March 20, 2025

NZNO Pacific nurse leader Abel Smith has been awarded life membership by the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA), for his work in Pacific nursing over 40 years.

March 2025

‘Scary time’ for workers trying to improve Māori health

By Renee Kiriona

March 14, 2025

“It is a very scary time right now for nurses, whānau ora navigators and other kaimahi working to keep Māori communities alive longer,” says Tracey Morgan, chair of NZNO’s College of Primary Health Care Nurses.

March 2025

Bowel cancer screening changes ‘dangerous for Māori’, say Māori health leaders

By Mary Longmore

March 11, 2025

Changes to free bowel cancer screening age eligiblity will leave more Māori and Pacific people at risk of dying, say nursing and Māori health leaders.

1 May	New weekend urgent care service launched in Tairāwhati Access to urgent healthcare on weekends will be restored in Tairāwhati this Saturday (3 May 2025) with the launch of a new service, Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced.
29 Apr	Taupō Hospital accredited to train next generation of rural doctors Taupō Hospital has become the first hospital in the North Island to receive accreditation to deliver Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) training, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey have announced.
14 Apr	Rural Health Roadshow to hear from rural communities Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Rural Health and Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey announced today he will be coming to 12 rural locations across the country on a Rural Health Roadshow, starting this week in Levin.
10 Apr	Expanded emergency department at Auckland City Hospital will see capacity increase Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Auckland City Hospital’s newly refurbished adult emergency department.
1 Apr	Health NZ wants your feedback on a Paediatric Adolescent and Young Adult Palliative Model of Care Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) is seeking feedback on potential options for national palliative care services for tamariki, rangatahi/children, young people and their whānau/families.
27 March	Bar still too high for small mental health providers Small mental health providers will still be locked out of co-funding from the Mental Health Innovation Fund despite a lower threshold.
25 March	ICN advocates for health system gender equity and women’s health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) brought the nursing voice to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) which wrapped up on Friday. ICN participated in critical discussions on gender equity and women’s health throughout the event.
19 March	ICN warns of healthcare crisis as USAID funding cuts devastate nursing initiatives in the world’s most vulnerable regions The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has documented alarming firsthand evidence of widespread disruption and collapse of essential health care services following the sudden withdrawal of USAID and other funding.
19 March	New High Dependency Unit will expand critical care services in Wellington Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU).
13 March	Pharmac to fund more cancer medicines Pharmac is funding six more medicines for cancers and one for antibiotic resistant infections.
28 Feb	Pharmac CE resigns The Board of Pharmac wishes to announce that its Chief Executive for the last 7 years, Sarah Fitt, has resigned effective from 30 May 2025.
25 Feb	ICN issues updated statement on health care in conflict, calling for peace and compliance with international humanitarian law In recent years, the world has witnessed a disturbing increase in conflicts and wars, placing immense strain on health systems and exacerbating human suffering. Nurses have been at the forefront of these crises, responding to emergencies, supporting recovery efforts, and providing essential care to those affected by violence and displacement.
21 Feb	ICN’s new guidance on integrating nurse leaders into heart of health workforce planning The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has published a practical guide to including nurses in workforce planning decisions.
17 Feb	ICN warns of effect of US withdrawal from WHO on nurse-led services The International Council of Nurses (ICN) warned that the withdrawal of the United States from WHO has already halted some nurse-led services, including vaccination programmes and care for people with HIV/AIDS.
17 Feb	Minister acknowledges outgoing Director-General Health Minister Simeon Brown has today acknowledged the resignation of Director-General of Health and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Sarfati, and thanked her for her service.
12 Feb	Pharmac funds medicines for liver, ovarian, and neuroendocrine cancers People with liver, ovarian, and neuroendocrine cancers will have access to more medicines from 1 March 2025.
11 Feb	Consultation begins on work to improve patient access to medical devices Pharmac is continuing to improve the way medical devices are managed for New Zealanders, today opening consultation on its comprehensive list of medical devices used by public hospitals.
3 Feb	First Whānau Āwhina Plunket site in NZ delivering childhood vaccinations Childhood immunisations are now being delivered at a Whānau Āwhina Plunket site in Whāngarei, with other regions soon to also provide the new service.
29 Jan	Local access to specialist audiology services comes to Wairarapa A newly established out-patient clinic for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and audiology appointments is providing Wairarapa patients with local access to specialist hearing services for the first time.
29 Jan	Pharmac reconsiders oestradiol patch options following community feedback Pharmac is reviewing and reconsidering its oestradiol patch options after considerable feedback was received when it announced a move to a single funded brand late last year.
22 Jan	Consultations for cancer and ADHD medicines close soon Pharmac is encouraging people to have their say on proposals to fund six more medicines and change the brand of one medicine before consultation closes on 27 January.