Waikato DHB Responds To Misleading Claims

Claims in Fairfax newspapers today that Waikato District Health Board “bosses’’ flew to the US to lure medical staff to New Zealand are misleading, says chief executive Craig Climo.

Three staff are in Denver: Emergency Department clinical director John Bonning is attending the emergency medicine conference there as part of his clinical education training programme and will help out at the recruitment stand between sessions.

Nurse manager Jenni Yeates is there to recruit emergency physicians only. The third person is a DHB staff member who happens to have paid her own way to the US for a holiday and is going along to assist Mrs Yeates at the DHB’s stand.

The total cost, including flights, fees and accommodation, is just under $10,000.

“This is quite different from that portrayed by Fairfax newspapers of “bosses on a recruitment jaunt”, said Mr Climo.

Waikato Hospital assistant group manager Kevin Harris said the initiative was part of a wider campaign to recruit emergency doctors which includes:

• Actively recruiting in New Zealand

• Hiring of suitable locums if available

• Training the DHB’s own junior emergency doctors – three to four trainees will be fully qualified emergency physicians in the years ahead.

“We have recruited from this conference before with success. There are more than 6000 attendees which makes it a worthwhile target audience,’’ Mr Harris said.

The DHB needs to recruit emergency physicians to provide seven-day-a-week cover. That requires a total of 15 and currently the board has 11.

“We put some posters and flyers together showing what a great place the Waikato is to work and play. It’s just another innovative campaign to recruit medical staff here. The materials cost less than $1000 and were all done in-house by our media and communications team,” said Mr Harris.

“We spend thousands of dollars every year advertising and recruiting in a competitive international market.

“It is a constant struggle to attract and retain medical professionals, especially to rural areas, so we take any opportunity we get to promote Waikato internationally.’’

Recruiting a suitable doctor through an agency costs up to 20 per cent of a year’s salary – equating to about $30,000.

“So we think sending someone to recruit at this conference is money well spent,” said Mr Harris.

Waikato DHB is not alone in spending money on outsourced staff and locums to keep services operating. It happens throughout the country. Suitable emergency department locums cost about $2000 a day, he said.

* Attached is the Official Information Act request provided to the Waikato Times in June 2012 and referred to in the Fairfax articles.

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About Waikato District Health Board and Health Waikato:

Waikato DHB is responsible for planning, funding and providing quality health and disability support services for the 372,865 people living in the Waikato DHB region. It has an annual turnover of $1.2 billion and employs more than 6000 people.

Health Waikato is the DHB’s main provider of hospital and health services with an annual budget of more than $701 million and 5238 staff. It has six groups across five hospital sites, three primary birthing units, two continuing care facilities and 20 community bases offering a comprehensive range of primary, secondary and tertiary health services.

A wide range of independent providers deliver other Waikato DHB-funded health services - including primary health, pharmacies and community laboratories.

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ENDS