About 20 NZNO members were highlighting their unsafe staffing concerns today when National’s Coromandel MP Scott Simpson walked past them as he headed into the hospital entrance to meet with management, NZNO delegate Lizzy Brundrit said.
“He [Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey] drove past us and he made them stop the car so he could come across to talk to us.
“It was very good. We were very impressed that he came and spoke to us, unlike our local MP, who ignored us and walked past us.”
The Minister was in town to meet hospital management, but the scope or purpose of that meeting was unknown, Brundrit said.
“The Minister stood with us while we were waving our flags, for about 15-20 minutes and we appreciated that.”
ED — at least 10 FTEs needed now
“I told him we needed at least another 10 FTEs for the emergency department, while other nurses told him they needed more nurses in the inpatient unit as well as for the district nursing team and more staff for the mental health crisis team.”
Last month Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand reported damning figures that revealed at least 20 emergency departments (EDs) were below-safe staffing targets between January and November last year. And Thames Hospital, the country’s largest rural hospital, was the worst affected – 79 per cent of all shifts were understaffed over the period.
“In ED we are seeing more and more people present with mental health issues that are serious but not critical. But because the mental health service is not 24 hours, they end up here,” Brundrit said.
Mental health services — give it more staff
“We made it clear to the Minister that the different parts of the hospital, including our mental health service, can’t be looked at in isolation, that they are all inter-connected and if one isn’t working properly then the other parts won’t work properly either.
“People with mental health issues are turning up at ED because they can’t get to a GP or their problem has occurred outside daytime hours when our mental health team isn’t working.”
The mental health team needed more resources so it could become a 24-hour service, Brundrit said.
Inpatient unit — more staff for the extra beds
Another NZNO member who works at the hospital, and who did not want to be named, said the impatient unit was only funded for 35 beds but staff were expected to service 45 beds.
‘Meanwhile people are getting sicker. It’s crazy, it’s cruel.’
“They increased our workload but didn’t give us any increase in staff and this means it’s taking longer to care for patients, and free up beds for those coming from ED. Meanwhile people are getting sicker. It’s crazy, it’s cruel,” the person said.
“That’s why there’s so many people waiting in ED, beause there’s not enough beds and staff in this unit to take them.”
District nursing team — at least 12 FTEs needed now
There were currently 680 patients on the books across 18 staff in the district nursing team, an NZNO organiser said.
30 per cent of the current staff in the team were looking at leaving their jobs.
“That’s about 37 patients per staff member, which is unrealistic. There are cancellations every day because the staff just don’t have enough time to see all their patients.”
The organiser said it was so bad that about 30 per cent of the current staff in the team were looking at leaving their jobs by the end of the year.
Was the Minister listening?
Brundrit said only time would tell if the Minister would turn their words into action.
‘The sad thing is that many of us and especially our patients don’t have time.’
“We felt Matt Doocey listened to us. But whether or not that will eventuate into the results we need, only time will tell.”