District health boards and nurses have reached an agreement to ensure safe staffing levels in public hospitals, Health Minister David Clark has announced.
"It is clear we've been asking too much of our nurses and their workloads are not sustainable. The Government has heard the message from DHB nurses and midwives loud and clear – we agree safe staffing must be a priority," Clark said today.
DHBs and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) will sign an accord on Monday under which the DHBs and the Ministry of Health will work with the union to monitor the implementation of the Care Capacity Demand Management safe staffing tool.
"There will be clear accountability mechanisms in place to ensure the required staffing is delivered," Clark said in a statement.
"In addition, a strategy will be developed to help retain existing nurses and midwives in the public health service, and attract others back into the workforce.
"The accord also includes a commitment to looking at providing employment and training for all New Zealand nursing and midwifery graduates."
Safe staffing levels has been a sticking point in negotiations between nurses and DHBs.
Clark said the Government's commitment to funding an extra 500 DHB nurses as part of the current collective employment negotiations still stood but there would be ongoing work to ensure DHBs delivered now and in future.
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