News – Page 7 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

November 2025

‘That was a moral, emotional injury to the worker’ — tears and the truth at report launch

By Joel Maxwell

October 15, 2025

Everything we let happen to them now, will inevitably happen to us later.

November 2025

Cops already outstripping nurses as pay equity crumbles, committee hears

By Joel Maxwell

October 14, 2025

It was nice while it lasted — cops are already leaving nurses in the dust as pay equity collapses, the people’s select committee has heard.

November 2025

Our hidden shame — workers speak out on the shocking truth of caring for our elderly

By Mary Longmore

October 13, 2025

Missing showers, being left alone to soil themselves and getting late, cold meals — this is what kaumātua/residents in many aged-facilities endure today, say hundreds of nurses and kaiāwhina.

October 2025

Hidden nursing crisis revealed: The shocking staffing numbers, and the Minister’s response

By Joel Maxwell

October 8, 2025

Hidden Te Whatu Ora figures have revealed acute mental health wards in crisis: those most desperately in need of help, face shifts desperately in need of nurses.

October 2025

Corrections nurses, health-care assistants vote for October strike amid staff safety fears

By Joel Maxwell

October 7, 2025

Prison nurses and health-care assistants have voted to strike this month — frustrated at Corrections’ refusal to address safety concerns after months of bargaining.

November 2025

Official NZNO national committee for thousands of kaiāwhina launches

By Renee Kiriona

October 7, 2025

For the first time in its history, NZNO now has a national committee for kaiāwhina.

October 2025

‘It will be massive! ‘ Nurses, kaiāwhina vote to strike on October 23

By Mary Longmore

October 3, 2025

Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand nurses and kaiāwhina have voted for further strike action on October 23.

October 2025

Picketing nurses greet visiting Mental Health Minister at under-pressure rural hospital

By Renee Kiriona

October 1, 2025

Picketing nurses outside Thames Hospital greeted Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey on a flying visit to the under-pressure rural facility today.

October 2025

South Island’s community approach sees boost in cervical screening for Māori and Pacific

By Mary Longmore

September 26, 2025

Cervical screening rates for Otago and Southland’s Māori and Pacific communities have increased 10 per cent compared to last year, after primary health organisation WellSouth joined forces with community health providers.

October 2025

A few precious days leave, but she picketed instead: Nurses support striking doctors, dentists

By Joel Maxwell

September 25, 2025

Registered nurse Amy Tubman was on precious leave with her children during the school holidays, but she was still out on the picket line, flag in hand, supporting a strike: this time it was the doctors.

September 2025

Painting a thousand words: Images from Women’s Day of Action around Aotearoa

By Joel Maxwell

September 22, 2025

The Coalition Government got a little reminder on Saturday that women would like their $12.8 billion back.

October 2025

Mental health, Pacific, emergency nurses among those honoured in emotional NZNO awards

By Mary Longmore

September 19, 2025

Tears, passion and nurses’ deep commitment to their communities over decades — all were on display at a powerful NZNO awards ceremony in Pōneke this week.

October 2025

Health Minister Simeon Brown sees red, literally, as nurses turn their backs during NZNO AGM

By Joel Maxwell

September 17, 2025

Health Minister Simeon Brown was greeted with a wall of silence — and a wall of nurses’ backs — as he spoke to the NZNO annual general meeting on Wednesday.

October 2025

How many hundreds? Infometric report reveals shocking hospital shortages in every shift

By Joel Maxwell

September 17, 2025

The nation’s hospitals were collectively short 576 nurses every shift on average last year, a new Infometrics report has found.

September 2025

2025 election results sweep in a mix of current and new members for NZNO’s new national executive

By Mary Longmore

September 15, 2025

A mix of current members and new candidates have been elected/re-elected onto the new Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa – NZNO national executive.

September 2025

Nurses forced into silence and Māori patients left invisible — NZNO submits on Government’s health Bill

By Joel Maxwell

September 11, 2025

It’s not healthy, and it’s bad for the future — the NZNO has blasted a proposed health law for dismantling Māori gains and stealing nurses’ rights, in a select committee hearing.

Nurses forced into silence and Māori patients left invisible — NZNO submits on Government’s health Bill

September 2025

Bargaining restart gets real: The last-minute dash to negotiation team hui thanks to short-staffing

By Joel Maxwell

September 11, 2025

As NZNO collective bargaining restarts with Te Whatu Ora on Thursday, even planning was hampered by nurse short-staffing.

September 2025

‘It’s a beginning’, say emergency nurses after joining safe staffing kōrero

By Mary Longmore

September 9, 2025

As the shocking reality of hospital understaffing is finally revealed, NZNO’s ED nurses are finally being invited to join Te Whatu Ora’s safe staffing discussions after meeting with the Minister of Health.

September 2025

The marshmallows are back! Hospital staff celebrate after campaign to bring joy back to their hot choccies

By Mary Longmore

September 9, 2025

Marshmallows will shortly be back on the menu at a hospital near you, after workers campaigned to ‘free the marshmallow’.

September 2025

Groundhog Day: NZNO files pay equity claims — again — for hospice and Plunket members

By Joel Maxwell

September 9, 2025

NZNO’s hospice and Plunket members have become the first in New Zealand to refile pay equity claims after the Government took an axe to the process in May.

31 Aug	Employing graduate nurses will help keep them in nursing and the country A new proposal that will require Te Whatu Ora to offer all eligible graduate nurses jobs in the public health system will help keep them in nursing and in Aotearoa New Zealand, NZNO says.
26 Aug	Health Minister’s claim Winter Plan ‘managing well’ delusional Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that hospitals are ‘managing well’ because of the Government’s Winter Plan is delusional, NZNO says.
25 Aug	Hospital data shows nursing shortages continue to put patients at risk Te Whatu Ora data released today shows patients are continuing to be put at risk by the Coalition Government’s deliberate failure to safely staff hospital wards, NZNO says.
24 Aug	Fed-up North Shore ED staff declare state of emergency NZNO members working in the emergency department (ED) at North Shore Hospital have declared a state of emergency due to unsafe staffing levels resulting in ongoing overcrowding.
19 Aug	What happened to the winter health plan? The $25 million 2026 Winter Plan launched by Health Minister Simeon Brown in March to erase pressure on the health system has been an unmitigated disaster, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
11 Aug	Applications open for advanced nursing education programmes Health New Zealand is encouraging registered nurses to apply for two advanced education programmes that support nurses to further develop their clinical skills and expand access to care in communities across New Zealand.
3 Aug	Health New Zealand welcomes settlement of NZRDA collective agreement Health New Zealand welcomes the vote by New Zealand Resident Doctors Association (NZRDA) members to settle their collective agreement.
30 Jul	Backing our frontline rural health workforce Rural communities across New Zealand will benefit from three new investments that will support the rural health workforce and help more people access care closer to home, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says.
22 Jul	Te Whatu Ora must disclose staffing levels at time of tragic death Te Whatu Ora must disclose whether the Waikato emergency department (ED) was short-staffed at the time a man tragically died in the waiting room, NZNO says.
6 Jul	Reflecting on IND 2026 Looking back on last month’s International Nurses Day 12 May 2026 (IND 2026), the impact of this year's theme "Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives" continues to resonate across the world. ICN’s landmark IND 2026 report defined seven key powers of nursing and this message has been strengthened with nurses in every region celebrating, naming, and owning their powers throughout May.
3 Jul	Health New Zealand acknowledges Ombudsman statement on Wakari Ward 10A Health NZ welcomes the independent investigation by the Ministry of Health into Ward 10A. On Wednesday the Health NZ board agreed to close Wakari Ward 10a as a forensic intellectual disability (ID) unit, with the future use of the ward yet to be determined.
2 Jul	New programme to fast track bowel cancer care and cut colonoscopy waitlists Health New Zealand is today launching a national initiative, designed to fast track bowel cancer care and reduce colonoscopy waitlists by up to 30 per cent.
1 Jul	Six new Co-Response Team locations announced to strengthen support for people in mental distress The next six locations for Health New Zealand and NZ Police Co-Response Teams have been confirmed, expanding a model that helps people experiencing mental distress receive timely, wraparound support that better meets their health needs.
29 Jun	Mental health and addiction targets progress continues Health New Zealand continues to make important progress against its mental health and addiction targets, meeting four out of five national targets this quarter.
25 Jun	Access to care continuing to improve across a range of health indicators New health data released today shows continued improvement in access to care across a range of health indicators.
18 Jun	Funding "boost" continues dangerous under-funding of aged care The Health Minister’s funding "boost" for aged residential care continues underfunding to the sector and will continue unsafe practices and short staffing, which is putting vulnerable residents at risk, NZNO says.
16 Jun	Labour to make maternity scans free Labour will add free maternity scans to the Medicard alongside three free doctor’s visits a year, so every pregnant woman gets the care she needs.
29 May	WellSouth Statement on Budget 2026: a missed opportunity Budget 2026 is a missed opportunity for primary care, and for the communities that depend on it most, in particular our rural people and practices.
29 May	Updated - Nurses on front lines of Ebola outbreak at serious risk In response to the gravely concerning and escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) warns that nurses and other frontline health workers are being put at serious risk and left fearful for their safety.
27 May	Health NZ committed to safeguarding patient information Health New Zealand welcomes the reports released today into the Manage My Health (MMH) cyber incident and is committed to ensuring all possible steps are taken to safeguard patient information.
22 May	More New Zealanders could benefit from funded vaccines from 2027 Pharmac is proposing changes that would give more New Zealanders access to funded vaccines from 2027, including expanded access to the flu vaccine for young children.
21 May	It’s not just the wallet: How the gender pay gap can hurt women’s bodies While many aspects of New Zealand’s enduring gender pay gap have been discussed, its physical impact on workers has been largely overlooked – until now.
21 May	Bupa nurses take pay equity claim over historic wage discrimination NZNO nurses working at Bupa aged residential care homes throughout Aotearoa New Zealand have raised a pay equity claim to address historic gender-based wage discrimination.
20 May	Waikato Hospital adds 10 forensic mental health beds Ten new forensic inpatient beds have been made available at the Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service at Waikato Hospital to expand forensic mental health capacity for adults in prison or on remand in Health New Zealand’s Midland region.
18 May	Strong gains in two-year immunisation target for Tamariki Māori Health New Zealand is welcoming a significant increase in Māori immunisation rates, with full immunisation at 24 months rising from just over 60 per cent in late 2024 to 71.5 per cent at the end of last month.
15 May	New global report shows empowering nurses is key to saving lives and strengthening health systems As the world marks International Nurses Day, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) is calling for urgent investment in nursing, supported by a major new global report, Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives, that presents seven key nursing powers.
14 May	Lakes and Whanganui nurses still waiting for Holiday Pay a decade on Photo by Fin Ocheduszko-Brown at Whanganui Chronicle Nurses at Lakes and Whanganui districts are calling on Te Whatu Ora to explain why after a decade of redress, they still don’t know when they will receive their full Holiday Act remediation payments, NZNO says.
13 May	Recognising the extraordinary contribution of nurses International Nurses Day is an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary role nurses play in caring for New Zealanders at every stage of life, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
12 May	Government’s decision to scrap fees free scheme will lead to further student exodus The Coalition Government’s decision to scrap the fees free policy for third year tertiary students has left nursing tauira outraged
30 Apr	BroPilot grounding digital tools in whānau, culture, and care A passion for his Māori culture and a desire to make AI accessible to everyone inspired Troy Baker, Senior ICT Specialist, Health New Zealand to develop BroPilot – a culturally grounded way of working with Microsoft Copilot that reflects Māori values, whakaaro, and real lived experience.
29 Apr	Heartbreaking tragedies were avoidable - NZNO Analysis by a media outlet, published today, finding health care staff shortages were contributing factors in the deaths of 11 babies is a national and avoidable tragedy, NZNO says.
28 Apr	CTU launches Roving Health and Safety Representatives policy on Workers’ Memorial Day The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi has today launched our Roving Health and Safety Representatives policy at the Workers’ Memorial Day commemoration in Wellington, with further events held across the motu in Manawatū, Christchurch, and Otago.
24 Apr	“The 80s Calling”: New national campaign challenges outdated HIV stigma Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey today launched Health New Zealand’s “The 80s Calling”; a provocative new campaign designed to reduce stigma, normalise conversations about HIV, and support people living with HIV.
23 Apr	Government’s attack on Māori health raised at the UN Concerns over the Coalition Government’s active reversal of policies designed to improve Māori health outcomes were raised at the United Nations in New York this morning.
16 Apr	Tribute to Professor Lester Levy’s service to healthcare Health New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Dale Bramley is paying tribute to Health NZ Board Chair Professor Lester Levy, who finishes in the role at the end of the month.
10 Apr	Chronic health care assistant short staffing harming vulnerable patients Te Whatu Ora’s attempt to cut costs by requiring health care assistants to carry out cohort patient watches is harming vulnerable patients and staff, NZNO says.
9 Apr	New group education clinics speeding up knee and hip surgery care Health New Zealand is rolling out a new group education approach for people waiting for hip and knee surgery in north and west Auckland, resulting in more patients being seen sooner.
25 Mar	National Diabetes Roadmap launched to improve care, prevention, and quality of life Health New Zealand has launched a new National Diabetes Roadmap (‘the Roadmap’) to improve care, strengthen prevention, and support better health outcomes and quality of life for people living with diabetes.
24 Mar	ACT should leave nursing to professionals and medical evidence Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says ACT MP Todd Stephenson has dismissed the Nursing Council’s draft code of conduct - which proposes strengthening cultural safety, whānau-centred care and te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations - as political ideology.
23 Mar	UK report reflects ICN warnings on international recruitment ripoff — now countries must act together The International Council of Nurses (ICN) warmly welcomes a new report from the UK All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global Health and Security that recognizes the huge sums saved by high-income countries who recruit abroad and acknowledges the severe harms caused by unethical recruitment from fragile source countries left without nurses.
20 Mar	HPV self-test boosts cervical cancer screening ‘across the board’, new study confirms Making human papillomavirus (HPV) self-testing available to all women increases the number of people screened for cervical cancer, a new study led by researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington has confirmed.
19 Mar	ICN at CSW70: Violence against nurses is a gendered crisis threatening global health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has warned that violence against nurses is a global gendered crisis that threatens health systems, patient safety and workforce sustainability
17 Mar	Additional winter health care workers a drop in the ocean of need The Government’s announcement today of 378 extra staff to help hospitals cope with winter demand is a drop in the ocean of what patients need, NZNO says.
12 Mar	Funding change will ensure more consistent emergency care for New Zealanders A simple change in how ambulance medicines are funded is set to create more consistent emergency care.
9 Mar	Questions over dilapidated and cramped renal unit forced to ration dialysis The Health Minister must explain why after years of concerns from nurses about Christchurch Hospital’s barely functioning dialysis unit, he only stepped in late yesterday when life-saving treatment had to be rationed, NZNO says.
3 Mar	Hospitals and health workers should never be targets The right of health care workers to provide care during international conflicts must be protected, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
2 Mar	Public and Mental Health Nurses settle collective agreement Health New Zealand welcomes the ratification of the two Public Service Association (PSA) Public and Mental Health Nurses collective employment agreements for Auckland and the Rest of New Zealand.