Hospitals across the country are getting more ICU beds ... but we don't have nurses to staff them. 

The Government has announced there'll be 23 new ICU or HDU beds, and eight temporary bed conversions to ICU. 

It will take about six months to implement.  

Australia New Zealand Intensive Care Society's Andrew Stapleton told Heather Du Plessis Allan it's a start, but real obstacles remain. 

“There are still some irritations with getting even kiwi trained nurses back from abroad, they’re still not on the specialist register for getting across easily, and they can’t get here unless they’ve got a job offer written.” 

LISTEN ABOVE