Category: New Zealand Associations and Organisaitons

Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: New health leaders must focus on improving staffing and valuing workers

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Toi Mata Hauora says being a better employer and addressing critical staffing shortages must be top of the agenda for the country’s new health leaders.
It has been announced that Riana Manuel, currently Chief Executive of Hauraki Primary Health Organisation and iwi-based not-for-profit Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki, will lead the new Māori Health Authority, while the new Chief Executive of Health NZ will be current Counties Manukau DHB head Fepulea’i Margie Apa.
ASMS Executive Director Sarah Dalton says, as the new national employer from July next year, Health NZ must prioritise the retention and recruitment of senior hospital doctors and dentists.
“There are basic obligations around pay and safe working conditions, which DHBs and the government are failing to meet at a time when we need to value and hang on to our critical health workers more than ever. Saying thank you is not enough,” she says.
Sarah Dalton says the ‘do more with less’ mantra from DHB managers hasn’t worked and ASMS will look to the head of Health NZ to urgently address desperate staffing shortages which are creating unsustainable working environments, burnout, and increased rationing of patient care.
“We are suffering from long-term lack of investment and failure to future-proof our health workforce. This is an opportunity to take a new, nationalised approach to workforce planning and show some real leadership,” she says.
ASMS congratulates Margie Apa and Riana Manuel on their new roles.
“We strongly urge them to listen to senior clinicians and involve them in decision-making at both the national and local level,” says Sarah Dalton.
“We all want to work to build a better health system, but it is important to remember that at the heart of every system are the people working inside it. For these health reforms to succeed, our health workers need to be supported, valued and given the recognition they deserve”.
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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Meri Kirihimete – ASMS National Office Closedown

Everyone at ASMS – your National Executive and National Office staff – want to wish you and your whanau a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.
Our National Office will close on Thursday 23 December and reopen again on Monday 10 January. For any queries during this period please email support@asms.nz and we will be in touch.
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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Hospital investment needs to be matched with staffing investment

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Toi Mata Hauora says boosting hospital capacity and upgrading some facilities represents a much-needed catch-up in the country’s Covid preparedness, but the same priority must be given to critical understaffing.
The Government has announced that 24 hospitals will receive upgrades to improve care and isolation of patients, along with an increase in ICU capacity.
“The Covid crisis has shone a very hard light on a public health system which has endured year upon year of underfunding, under resourcing, and undervaluing of staff,” says ASMS President Dr Julian Vyas.
Clinicians have repeatedly raised red flags about New Zealand’s lack of preparedness to deal with endemic Covid, both in terms of ICU capacity and poor facilities.
Dr Vyas says there is no doubt that those working on the frontline will welcome the extra capacity along with the improvements to isolation management and proper ventilation systems.
However, he warns adequate staffing is what underpins the system.
In Southland for example, there are six ICU beds, but they can only cater for one patient due to lack of staffing.
“Our doctors and nurses are stretched dealing with busy wards and emergency departments, while at the same time juggling entrenched staffing shortages, which makes their work unsafe, results in reduced access to care for patients, and leads to burnout,” says Dr Vyas.
He says they are also being asked to catch up on the backlog of routine surgeries and medical treatments which have been delayed by Covid lockdowns.
“Adding much needed hospital bed capacity and making improvements to the system is heartening but let’s not forget the people who support that,” Dr Vyas says.
With the demand for health services projected to increase at higher rates than the health workforce can keep up with in the next ten years, ASMS is calling on the Government and the new Health NZ to act urgently and commit to proper workforce planning.
Dr Vyas says, “the longer the Government waits to act on ensuring proper recruitment and retention of staff in our hospitals and health services, the harder the fix will be.”
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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Health reform legislation – read our submission

ASMS has said clinical governance will be essential to the successful implementation of the health reforms as part of its submission to a parliamentary select committee on the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill. The legislation sets up the foundations and legal framework for the largest reform of the health system in a generation.

If enacted, the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill will replace the current New Zealand Health and Disability Act 2000 and result in a major restructuring of the health sector which will take effect on 1 July 2022.
On that date, DHBs will be disestablished and every DHB employee will become an employee of Health New Zealand (HNZ) on the same terms and conditions. This does not include DHB chief executives.
All DHB assets (including public hospitals) will be vested in HNZ and all rights, liabilities, contracts, entitlements, undertakings, and engagements of a DHB will transfer.
HNZ will be the largest employer in the country with a workforce of about 80,000, an annual operating budget of $20 billion and assets worth about $24 billion. It will lead the health system operations, planning, commissioning, and delivery of services working with the new Māori Health Authority (MHA).
Notably one of the objectives of HNZ in the bill is “to promote health and prevent, reduce, and delay ill-health, including by collaborating with other social sector agencies to address the determinants of health”.  This is not an objective for DHBs under the current legislation, and one which ASMS considers a positive change.
The bill establishes the MHA as an independent statutory entity to co-commission and plan services with HNZ, commission kaupapa Māori services and monitor the performance of the system for Māori.
The Ministry of Health will continue to be the chief steward of the health system and principal advisor to the Minister with overarching responsibilities for strategy, policy, regulation, and monitoring. A new Public Health Agency will be established as a business unit within the Ministry, bringing together the 12 public health units.
The Minister has established an interim MHA and interim HNZ as departmental agencies within the Ministry and has appointed board members. The boards are currently advising the Minister, including on the structures and leadership teams of the new entities.
An Interim Health Plan, developed by the interim HNZ and interim MHA, will apply when the bill comes into effect next year.
Here are the key points from ASMS’ submission:

ASMS generally supports the intent of the Pae Ora (Health Futures) Bill and the repeal of the New Zealand Health and Disability Act 2000.
We agree with restructuring the health system and establishing new Crown entities – the Māori Heath Authority (the Authority) and Health New Zealand (Health NZ).
We do not support shifting the emphasis of the health system to primary and community services, as it is too simplistic. We believe there must be greater focus on developing and supporting an integrated healthcare system.
We strongly support the aim of achieving health equity for Māori and for Māori decision-making and power-sharing to reflect the Crown’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
We support the legal recognition of iwi-Māori partnership boards, the health system principles, the development of a Government Policy Statement on Health, a New Zealand Health Strategy, Health Plan and Charter.
We strongly support the establishment of a Public Health Agency and a population health focus. We believe it should be a stand-alone agency.
We believe that the health budget must be significantly increased to provide healthcare to meet the needs of all New Zealanders.
We believe clinical governance will be essential to successful implementation of the reforms and senior doctors need to be able to access appropriate non-clinical time so they can contribute.
We believe there must be greater focus on building and valuing the health workforce, and greater attention to investing in the public health system infrastructure.

The full submission is here 
 
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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Do you know about time in lieu over public holidays?

Time in lieu for working a public holiday can only be claimed once? That means, where a public holiday is Monday-ised, if you work both the actual day and the Monday, you can only claim one alternative (or lieu) day. You will be paid at the appropriate rate for all days you work, but one public holiday only generates ONE alternate day of leave.
This holiday season Christmas, Boxing, New Year’s Day and 2 January all fall on a weekend, so all generate alternative holidays: Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December; Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th January.
This means if you work on both of 25th and 27th December, only one counts as the public holiday. You are entitled to normal public holiday rates, plus one lieu day. If you work neither day, you are still entitled to the paid public holiday.
There are a few exceptions to this advice. If you seldom work on a Monday, for example, you are probably not entitled to be paid for a public holiday that falls on a Monday.
This is all laid out in Clause 24 of the DHB MECA but if you have any queries or concerns about public holiday arrangements, pay, or lieu days, please get in touch with your industrial officer.
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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Beyond the Mask

The artistic talents of our doctors and dentists are on display at the Beyond the Mask exhibition organised by ASMS and the Academy of Fine Art in Wellington. ASMS members took away the big awards on opening night.

The exhibition was planned around our Annual Conference, but even though Covid forced the conference online, the exhibition went ahead with opening night on November 24.
There are about 50 paintings, drawings, photos, and sculptures on display by doctors and dentists who take time away from their busy day jobs, to channel their creative sides.
The exhibition is on at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington and runs until 5 December. Many of the pieces have been sold but you can see all the artworks on display and still for sale on the gallery’s website www.nzafa.com

Best Overall Artwork – Ashvini Kahawatta (anaesthetist, Wellington) – “It Looks Clean Enough”

Best Artwork by First Time Exhibitor – Jon Mathy (plastics specialist, Auckland) – “Not a Clockwork Orange”

Merit Award for First Time Exhibitor – Erin Doherty (medical specialist, Northland) – “Red Rock Bay”

MAS and MPS Sponsors Choice Award – “Alec MacDonald (retired psychiatrist, Wellington) – The Circumnavigators”

People’s Choice Award – Annie Judkins  (GP, Porirua) – “I Would Have to Grow Roses Out of My Nose to Drink Dandelion Coffee”

The post Beyond the Mask appeared first on ASMS.

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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Inside the Frontline of the Mental Health Crisis

A substantive new report by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Toi Mata Hauora details the stresses and challenges facing the country’s psychiatrists in the face of soaring demand for mental health services. It is based on a survey of ASMS psychiatry members and reveals that 45 percent would like to leave their job.

The report ‘Inside the Frontline of the Mental Health Crisis’ details the stresses and challenges facing the country’s psychiatrists. It is based on responses from 368 psychiatrists who took part in an ASMS survey.
It follows on from an earlier ASMS report ‘What Price Mental Health?’ which detailed rising demand for mental services, reduced bed capacity and clinically stressed services.
ASMS Director of Policy and Research and report author Dr Charlotte Chambers says the fact mental health services are in crisis is no secret, but this new report provides a unique snapshot of how our psychiatrists are faring within that context.
Some of the key findings are:

45% agree they would leave their current job if they could
95% report an increase in demand for specialist mental health services in the past three years
86% report an increase in the complexity of their caseload
76% report an increase in the size of their caseload
87% don’t feel they are working in a well-resourced mental health service
35% report high levels of burnout

Psychiatrists serve as cornerstones of the teams responsible for the delivery of mental health services.  The report highlights the struggles they face in providing the psychiatric care New Zealanders need, and the effect on their own wellbeing.
Some of their comments include:
“We often feel like patients are being discharged to the community to fail. This failure takes the form of suicide, homicide, estrangement and homelessness.”
“Due to high caseloads, patients are not seen as often as required by best practice guidelines, often slowing their recovery.”
“I love working with my clients/patients however the current system is unsustainable. We do not have enough staff or resources to retain staff, the staff around me are burnt out.”
“Very distressing to see very unwell patients who are unable to be admitted due to lack of beds.”
“I am referred more complex patients but with less resources and too little time.”
“When I look back on patient files, I am reminded how much care we could provide five, ten and fifteen years ago to specific patients compared to now”.
“I think my health will deteriorate if I stay in my current job”.
Dr Chambers says psychiatrists report no meaningful change or improvement out of the 2018 inquiry into mental health and addiction, or the $1.9 billion set aside for mental health in response. In addition, she says the Government’s most recent 10-year plan for mental health is, at this stage, nothing more than a set of aspirations.
The report lays down a challenge for the new national health employer Health NZ to ensure staffing rates are adequate in mental health services across the country, including nurses, psychologists and counsellors, and that buildings and infrastructure are fit-for-purpose.
“The emphasis in this report on the impact of poor physical work environments, absence of functional IT systems and logistical challenges to complete the simplest of tasks is not going to improve doctor wellbeing or health outcomes for mental health patients,” says Dr Chambers.
There are also warning bells over recruitment and retention of psychiatrists and the desperate need for succession and workforce planning.
“It is concerning that a number of mental health services do not employ trainee psychiatrists, and New Zealand’s high reliance on foreign-trained psychiatrists points to an urgent need to address medical pipeline planning. We need to encourage medical students to consider psychiatry as a sound option for their specialist training.
“We know Covid is creating even more challenges. The mental health system can ill afford to lose any more doctors. Looking after psychiatrists is good for everyone’s mental health,” she says.
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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: New ASMS life member

Bay of Plenty anaesthetist and former ASMS Treasurer and National Secretary Dr Paul Wilson has been granted life membership of the Association at the 33rd ASMS Annual Conference.
First elected in 1999, he served on the National Executive for 22 years.
Born in the King Country, Dr Wilson started working as a consultant in the Bay of Plenty in 1995.
ASMS President Dr Julian Vyas says, “in speaking with colleagues who served on the Executive with him, they talk about Paul’s strong sense of altruism, his– at times – esoteric knowledge, his eye for fiscal detail and his ability to consider a situation from an unorthodox perspective, which often provided a novel insight into the matter at hand”.
Dr Wilson says the thing he is most proud of during his time on Executive is what ASMS has achieved to improve the terms and conditions supporting members who are new parents.
Instead of a gift to recognise his service, he has asked that a donation of equal value be made to the Wellington City Mission.
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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Health Coalition Aotearoa delivers giant letter to the Minister…

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Toi Mata Hauora was part of Health Care Aotearoa’s presentation to the Associate Minister of Health, Ayesha Verrall, in support of the draft Smokefree Action Plan 2025 on Thursday 18 November . The Coalition presented the Minister with an over-sized letter – signed by over 660 people and 60 organisations (including ASMS) – calling for full implementation of the Plan released in April 2021, including:

A comprehensive, multi-faceted approach.
The focus on eliminating ethnic and socio-demographic inequities in smoking and health harms.
The commitment to strengthening Māori governance of tobacco control.
Bold and potentially game-changing measures, particularly proposals to remove nearly all nicotine from smoked tobacco products and greatly reduce the retail availability of tobacco.
Create supportive environments to help people quit smoking, particularly those from priority groups.

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Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Senior doctors relieved by swift Covid booster rollout

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Toi Mata Hauora is pleased to see the Government moving so quickly on rolling out Covid boosters.
The Government has announced that boosters will be available from November 29th for those who received their second vaccination more than six months ago.
ASMS Executive Director Sarah Dalton says many senior clinicians and frontline health workers who were vaccinated early this year were becoming increasingly concerned about waning Covid immunity.
She says today’s announcement will come as a relief especially with Covid spreading rapidly and the prospect of endemic Covid in our communities.
“It’s the right thing to do. Health staff are acutely aware of the need to access boosters so it’s great that they now have certainty around that”.
“For health staff who work in high-risk environments it’s important to know that they are being offered basic protection to keep them, their patients and their families safe,” she says.
Sarah Dalton says easy access to booster shots is also essential and DHBs and other health services need to ensure that the booster vaccinations are available to staff at their worksites.
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