A top health official has urged the health and immigration ministers to take urgent action over “significant workforce shortages” in health professions not included on the fast-track residency Green List.

In a briefing leaked to the Act Party, Ministry of Health deputy director-General of strategy, policy and legislation Maree Roberts wrote to Health Minister Andrew Little urging the Green List be reviewed “immediately” to include a long list of 30 non-medical health professions facing shortages, including paramedics, dentists and pharmacists.

The Green List was established in July, which provided pathways to residency - either immediately or after two years - for 85 professions identified as most in need.

From the beginning, however, the list came under fire, particularly for excluding nurses from the pathway to immediate residency, instead requiring a two-year commitment.

It was also revealed many medical professions were excluded, despite major workforce shortages across the country.

In the briefing, Roberts acknowledged Immigration Minister Michael Wood had on November 2 agreed to include all medical professions on the Green List, but as this had been done without consultation with the Ministry nor Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ it excluded “non-medical health professions” that also faced “significant workforce shortages”.

“This briefing provides you with information on the Green List and advises you that several health professionals are not included in the list despite evidence that shows persisting shortages.”

The Green List was on track for a formal review in mid-2023 but Roberts urged these professions be reviewed “now”.

The Ministry and Te Whatu Ora were building evidence of these workforce shortages, but she advised that some were facing shortages now and needed to be included on the Green List.

Roberts said some of these relied on the international workforce and there was a “risk to the delivery of health services if these professions do not have a streamlined route to enter and remain within the New Zealand health system.

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“Officials are strongly advising MBIE that the Green List be reviewed immediately in consultation with the Ministry, Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora and that the professions listed in Appendix One are included before mid-2023.”

Health Minister Andrew Little said decisions about who could get residence straight away and who could get it after two years were made before the reform of the health system came into effect on July 1.

 “Now that it has, and we have a single health system covering the entire country instead of the old fragmented system, we are getting a clearer picture of workforce needs.”

Little said he and Wood were watching the system and reviewing it, which is what the Ministry advice was about.

In terms of nurses, Little said more than 1200 have moved to New Zealand so far this year, and hundreds more have applied to come.

Act Party deputy leader and health spokeswoman Brooke van Velden said hospitals were at “breaking point” yet the ministers were not acting even when urged to by the Ministry.

Van Velden said it was “shocking” that Immigration NZ was considering changing which medical professionals should be added to the Green List and they did not consult the Ministry of Health or Te Whatu Ora.

“It’s incredible that Immigration NZ would even consider changing some of the Green List settings for health without asking anyone in health what they actually need.”

Health professions recommended to be included in the Immigration NZ Green List. Photo / Supplied

Health professions currently included in the Immigration NZ Green List. Photo / Supplied