Last month, nurses in scrubs delivered a health funding petition on a stretcher to MP Nikki Kaye’s office on College Hill, Freemans Bay. Auckland Emergency Nurse Hamish Hutchinson delivered a petition with 1296 signatures from the Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) region.
Since 2011 ADHB has made $153 million in "efficiency gains," says Hamish.
“The ADHB spends $2315 of funding per head of population while the national average is $2540 per head of population. At the same time the population within the ADHB area has had a 15% increase, from approximately 1,405,500 in 2008 to 1,614,400 in 2016.
He says the underfunding is affecting all areas of the system, for example putting extra burdens on overworked staff.
A recent YesWeCare.nz survey found nine out of 10 people working at ADHB felt under-resourcing meant they couldn't give locals the health care they need, when they need it.
“I think it’s clear the staff are really being squeezed, and you’re dealing with people and people’s lives. As much as we try, our health services can’t flourish in financial survival mode,” Hamish says.
Hamish says the Auckland DHB should be supported to meet growing demands such as population growth, and not be forced to find more and more efficiencies. “We are asking the Government to make up the missing $1.85 billion in this month's budget for all 20 DHBs,” Hamish says.
The $1.85 billion shortfall would pay for an extra 7400 doctors, 27,750 nurses or 111,000 hip operations he says.
“No matter what part of the country, no matter what income you receive, people should have equal access to good healthcare, and I feel like in New Zealand access is a real problem.
“So as long as you get into hospital you’re going to get treated reasonably well but what’s not captured is the access and the people who fall through the cracks,” says Hamish.