National’s cutting of digital staff in our health system will put patients at risk and leave hospitals vulnerable to cyber-attack.

Feedback from Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora staff on proposed redundancies in data and digital staff reveals deep concerns about a ‘fail early, fail often, succeed over time’ strategy.

“Patient data is too important to let the systems that manage and protect it fail. This is New Zealand’s health system – not tiddlywinks. It needs to be taken seriously,” Labour acting health spokesperson Peeni Henare said.

“National’s cuts have already affected the frontline, which is a broken promise.

“Cuts to data and digital services will have consequences for New Zealanders trying to get care, from the potential for their personal information being hacked, to accurate record keeping of their health information.

“Cuts to data management will disproportionately impact Maori, Pacific and rural communities.

“National has made a big song and dance about targets in health, but without the data to back up what they’re doing, it will only make it easier to game the system – as they have done in the past.

“On top of the crisis in leadership that Christopher Luxon is overseeing at Health New Zealand, these ongoing cuts to the frontline are only going to make it harder for everyday New Zealanders to access the healthcare they need. The cuts must stop,” said Peeni Henare.

© Scoop Media