“Senior Doctors: Nurses Staffing Proposal Should Be Taken Seriously”

“Senior doctors want the proposal for nursing staffing ratios developed by the Nurses Organisation to be taken seriously instead of ignored,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“Senior doctors experience daily the negative effects of not enough nurses in the wards, in the operating theatres, and in community services. These shortages are bad for patients, bad for doctors and bad for nurses.”

“Adequate nursing staffing numbers are not the only major improvement that public hospitals need but they are a critical starting point. We also need better employment conditions for nurses, doctors and other health professionals, and a better environment in district health boards so that health professionals are actively engaged in decision-making.”

“The negative criticism by health managers and Health Ministry officials, who are removed from practical reality, is unfortunate, short-sighted and misplaced.”

“Nurses at the front-line are much better placed and have much more expertise than managers and officials to understand what is necessary to address the serious problem of not enough nurses to meet patient needs,” concluded Mr Powell.