The holiday season is placing increased strain on healthcare workers, as Middlemore Hospital's emergency department is facing nearly full capacity for the holiday season. 

A Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau spokesperson said hospital occupancy was consistently between 90 percent and 100 percent, and the busyness was expected to continue through the Christmas period. 

Emergency department physician and Speciality Trainees Union member Dr Alistar Hercus said rates of burnout in healthcare peaked around the holidays. 

Reduced capacity at GPs and after-hour clinics over Christmas contributed to increasingly overwhelmed emergency departments, he said. 

Emergency departments also see an increase in mental health, alcohol and drug-related incidents over the holiday period. 

But stress for healthcare workers builds up throughout the year, he said, and was not isolated to the holiday season. 

"Burnout is really affecting our workforce, due to staff shortages and the increased vacancies of shifts that are available and are being picked up by many in the health workforce. 

"These are occurring throughout the year, this is no longer a seasonal phenomenon, with winter, or a pandemic phenomenon during Covid, but this has become the new norm for our workforce." 

Hercus said that the stress on healthcare workers had flow-on effects for patients. 

"I think it mainly manifests in the workforce's ability to interact interpersonally with our patients, and provide an empathetic and personal treatment." 

He said healthcare workers were feeling undervalued because of ongoing pay conditions. 

"It's hard to look at those relative hourly rates and not feel undervalued at present, and I think that is something that could be addressed by the current government and Te Whatu Ora to really increase morale in what is already a difficult time for our workers." 

Minister for Health Dr Shane Reti told media yesterday he understood that operating at nearly full capacity was a problem many EDs were facing. 

"That's a challenge, and I understand the challenge they have expressed. 

"I have faith in our operational team and the measures that have been put in place." 

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton said that it was very normal for emergency departments to be running at 100 percent capacity on any given day, let alone Christmas. 

"Middlemore is usually leading the charge when it comes to being overcrowded, understaffed, and massively high demand levels." 

Dalton said that pressure at emergency departments pointed to a gap in the provision of affordable healthcare for people. 

"For some people, it's either the emergency department, or nowhere. 

"It's an early signal that a number of our services are going to be under massive pressure in the coming weeks." 

Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau have asked people to take a preventative approach to injury by visiting their GP and taking care with alcohol. 

- RNZ