Election 2023: Emergency Doctors Respond To Labour Party’s Pledge To Increase Doctor Training

The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) welcomes the New Zealand Labour Party’s election pledge to increase the number of medical training places and the international recruitment of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs). ACEM emphasises that further measures are needed to encourage many of these students to choose careers in emergency departments (EDs), and to support and retain current, experienced staff.

ACEM Aotearoa New Zealand Chair Dr Kate Allan said, “We are happy to support the Labour’s Party’s pledge to increase the number of medical training placements and SMOs, and hope it will ease pressure in EDs today, and into the future.”

“Emergency medicine is a deeply rewarding, diverse and exciting career. To encourage medical students to work in EDs, retain current staff, and ensure careers in emergency medicine are sustainable, we must make sure EDs are safe places to deliver, support and receive care.”

ACEM recently called on political parties to commit to five research-based fixes for the issues in the health system that lead to long waits for care, staff shortages and increased violence in emergency departments (EDs), and announced it will support pledges that align with these fixes. If successfully implemented, Labour’s pledge could contribute towards the provision and retention of the emergency care workforce needed to deliver safe care and protect the wellbeing of staff.

Aotearoa is experiencing a dangerous shortage of skilled staff in emergency departments. In 2022, 63% of ACEM-accredited emergency departments had unfilled trainee vacancies. 56% of respondents to an ACEM survey said they had moderate to severe work-related burnout, with 40% indicating they would leave their careers in the next decade.

© Scoop Media