Our health system is in crisis, and not all New Zealanders receive fair and equal care. In Budget 2024 the bulk of health funding that was announced is committed to meeting cost pressure funding. This means there is limited funding for new initiatives in health and nothing concrete announced to relieve chronic understaffing experienced by nurses, midwives and health care assistants.

Our nurses are being driven out of their jobs by burnout and the stress of understaffing which makes our nursing shortage worse. A lack of Māori and Pacific nurses is contributing to Māori and Pasifika experiencing far worse health outcomes than other New Zealanders. New Zealand nurses are leaving for Australia where safe nursing ratios have been common for years and pay is better.   

Where nurse-to-patient ratios have been introduced internationally the quality of health care patients received has improved. Since being introduced in Australia nearly ten years ago they’ve resulted in fewer readmissions and shorter hospital stays, resulting in better patient outcomes and tens of millions being saved in the health budget. 

We're calling on the Government to:

• Commit to culturally appropriate nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios in all health care settings.  
• Put more money into health to fund increased nurses, midwives, health care assistants and health workers. 

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