Nurses Organisation President to stand for Wellington’s DHB

15 July 2016

As nominations open for this year’s local elections, New Zealand Nurses Organisation President Grant Brookes today announced his intention to stand for the Capital & Coast District Health Board.

“The most trusted profession have put their trust in me, electing me President of the Nurses Organisation”, said Grant. “Now I'm asking residents to put me at the top of their list of DHB candidates in October.”

Grant has been nursing for two decades, including 13 years at Wellington Hospital. NZNO is endorsing him in the election.

“I want to put the “care” back into aged care, with our elderly properly looked after”, says Grant. “As a parent, I know health grows from whānau ora – family well-being. I support partnerships with Māori.

“For people to live well, get well and stay well, we need fences at the top of the cliff, not ambulances below. Yet prevention and community care are often the first casualty of cuts, so we must also reverse the decline in health funding.

“And that money should go to improving health, not CEO pay rises.”

Analysis by the Economist and Director of Policy at the Council of Trade Unions, Bill Rosenberg, puts the national shortfall in health funding at $1.2 billion this year, compared to 2009/10.

“One effect of this is that Capital & Coast DHB is now facing major challenges”, Grant commented. “The problems are too big for any one individual to fix. But health is my sole focus, not a sideline. As part of a like-minded team, I believe I can help the DHB to rise to the challenge.”

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