New Zealand critically needs nurses and midwives as regions across the country reach high vacancy rates, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.

“Some regions are reaching dangerously high levels of job vacancies, and it only highlights the urgency of getting nurses and midwives placed on the fast track straight to residence pathway.

“Wellington region currently needs 308 nurses. This is consistent with reports of nurses issuing a workplace improvement notice in June against Wellington hospital on the basis of unsafe staffing levels.

“Midwife shortages are even more problematic with an average vacancy rate of 27.6 percent across the country.

“There are serious midwife shortages in Taranaki, who have a higher vacancy rate than they do full time staff. Otago, Queenstown and Lakes also have a high midwife vacancy rate of 45.2 per cent and Wellington, again, has a worrying vacancy rate of 39.3 per cent.

“Our hospitals are falling apart, doctors and nurses are burnt out, emergency department wait times have blown out, surgeries have been delayed and wait times to see specialists and have scans have increased.

“Instead of changing the immigration settings to put nurses and midwives on the same residency pathway as doctors, the Minister is making personal attacks on concerned workers who speak out.

“Our health system has never been in a worse state and Andrew Little’s billion-dollar restructure does nothing to address the issues the sector is facing. The Government need to change the immigration settings now.”