The findings into the death of the 50-year-old woman who left Middlemore Hospital’s Emergency Department, confirms wait times and staff shortages were critical factors, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.

“The inquiry makes two key observations; the wait time was seven hours and the patient was told this before she was triaged. The combination of both contributed to her leaving the Emergency Department without being seen and resulted in a tragic consequence.

“However, the reviewers observation that even though the Emergency Department was understaffed by three nurses that day it would not have made a difference is surprising.

“Extra nurses would have alleviated some of the pressure in this case and to the whole health sector, which is currently short of around 4,000 nurses. To say a full roster might not have made a difference only reinforces how dire the workforce situation is.

“Health Minister Andrew Little needs to answer if any changes were immediately instituted after he received the preliminary report – five days after the tragic incident occurred – and why half of the final recommendations in the findings are redacted to the public.

“An open and transparent government would inform New Zealanders of the findings and explain why they have or haven’t acted on them, not hide them away from public scrutiny.

“A solution to part of this problem is simple and can be done by next week. Minister Little should go to Cabinet and demand that nurses are put on the fast track straight to residency pathway to help alleviate the pressure that our hospitals, Aged Care and Emergency Departments are feeling.

“We must try and avoid another tragic situation like this happening again, and a small change to the immigration settings is a great first step.”