June 2026 – Page 2 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

June 2026

Primary health-care nurses chase Te Whatu Ora pay rates as 2026 bargaining kicks off

By Mary Longmore

June 4, 2026

Primary health-care (PHC) nurses say they will be fighting hard to finally reach pay parity with Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ (HNZ) as 2026/27 bargaining starts.

June 2026

Nursing, health stars prominent in 2026 King’s Birthday honours

By Kaitiaki co-editors

June 3, 2026

Compassion, knowledge, mana — this year’s King’s Birthday Honours recognised extraordinary lives in nursing and health.

July 2026

‘Affirmation’ from health-care providers tells different story to bill’s anti-trans angst

By George Parker et al

June 3, 2026

Trans health initiatives are not a “woke contagion”, as some politicians would have us believe, says a group of health-care experts — they are simply honouring cultural safety.

June 2026

BUDGET26:Plunket nurses ‘forgotten’ in Budget — despite Coalition funding promise

By Mary Longmore

May 29, 2026

Wellington Whānau Āwhina Plunket nurse Hannah Cook said her organisation ran on next to nothing and had been holding out hope for some funding this year — especially after its pay equity claim was scrapped last year.

June 2026

BUDGET26: Robbing Pita to pay Paul — Budget leaves nurses, Māori in ‘money-go-round’

By Joel Maxwell and Mary Longmore

May 28, 2026

At best Budget 2026 has kept the health system in steady decline — at worst it drove Māori health off a cliff.

July 2026

Primary health nurses’ college a rock of stability in an ‘atomised’ sector

By Michael Brenndorfer

May 27, 2026

Primary health nurses are bouncing around an ‘atomised’ and profit-making sector — yet could play a crucial role in transforming communities’ health given the chance, says nurse practitioner Michael Brenndorfer.

June 2026

More HCAs but no more nurses — Waitākere Hospital staff to ‘wait and see’ after safety complaint

By Mary Longmore

May 25, 2026

Under-the-pump nurses and health-care assistants (HCAs) at Waitākere Hospital’s Muriwai stroke ward say they will “wait and see” if things improve in the next two weeks before deciding their next moves — which could include health & safety strike action.

June 2026

NERF 2026 grants and scholarships applications open after administrative pause

By Anne Daniels and Kerri Nuku

May 25, 2026

Applications open tomorrow, Tuesday May 26, for 2026 Nursing Education and Research Foundation (NERF) grants and scholarships.

June 2026

Bupa aged-care nurses latest to raise pay equity claim

By Kaitiaki coeditors

May 22, 2026

NZNO nurses working at Bupa aged residential care homes throughout Aotearoa have raised a pay equity claim to address historic gender-based wage discrimination.

June 2026

Call for nurses, kaiāwhina to stand up against Government efforts to ‘erase’ trans communities

By Mary Longmore

May 21, 2026

New law proposal attempts to ‘erase’ trans and intersex communities, says rainbow nursing group as it calls nurses and kaiāwhina to stand firm.

July 2026

Southern Cross Health Trust boosts investment in nursing students to $1million

By Jacinda Page, Monica Goldwater and Chris White

May 20, 2026

Nursing scholarships applications are still open at Auckland University of Technology till May 30– and will open in July at Christchurch’s ARA institute of nursing.

June 2026

A journey shaped by determination, sacrifice, and purpose — Mele Penu’s path to EN

By Ceasar Jr. Beltran

May 20, 2026

What does it take to be a role model for your daughter and grow your nursing career? Enrolled nurse Mele Penu shares her story of resilience, perseverance, and sacrifice.

June 2026

‘Siri, should I take this pill?’ — assessing which AI-driven assistant is best

By Charon Lessing, Marie McKay, Shannon Foster and Deon Johnston

May 19, 2026

Can you take garlic with your lisinopril? As artificial intelligence makes inroads with virtual assistants, researchers examine its efficacy at helping older adults with medicinal questions.

June 2026

‘They won’t be forgotten’ — wreath laid for 53 nurses killed in earthquake

By Mary Longmore

May 18, 2026

Grace McKenna was just seven when her Irish father, a nurse, died in the catastrophic Christchurch earthquake on February 22, 2011.

June 2026

NZNO members vote to accept Te Whatu Ora offer

By Kaitiaki co-editors

May 15, 2026

NZNO nurses, midwives and health care assistants working for Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ (HNZ) have voted to accept the latest collective agreement offer following a close secret ballot, which closed today.

June 2026

‘More respiratory nurses needed’ college tells Minister

By Mary Longmore

May 15, 2026

Better respiratory care in the community will save people ending up in hospital — and nurses are the answer, NZNO’s respiratory nurses tell Simeon Brown.

June 2026

Hutt Hospital class of ’66 reunion

By Allison Jamieson

May 14, 2026

Recently 17 retired nurses gathered in Wairakei, Taupō to celebrate 60 years since they began their nursing training.

July 2026

Young, white and female: An ideal nurse in the 1980s

By Jacquie Kidd

May 13, 2026

In an exclusive extract from her new book, Ngākaurua, Māori health professor Jacquie Kidd describes her rage as she tries again to become a nurse in the 1980s — only to be confronted with an educational system steeped in racial prejudice.

July 2026

By Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

January 1, 2022

Please send letters for publication to: [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit letters for sense and length, and will not publish letters that are libellous, incite racial, sexual or religious hatred or constitute personal attacks. Shorter letters (under 400 words) are preferred. Please include name, address, nursing qualifications and phone number.

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.