MEDIA RELEASE
Home and Community Health Association
For immediate use
1 April 2014
HCHA looks forward to negotiations on travel time
The Home and Community Health Association is optimistic about the Government’s decision to begin negotiations for a
sector-wide settlement over travel time for home care workers.
“We look forward to being part of the negotiations.” said HCHA CEO Julie Haggie. “The best outcome would be one where
employers of home support workers can fairly compensate workers for both their travel time and their mileage, but the
focus on travel time is an important step on that journey. It is heartening to know that the government has listened to
providers at the centre of the dispute as well as the unions and the Association”.
Our workers play an increasingly important role in supporting the health policy of moving care closer to the home. Well
trained and fairly rewarded workers can care for people living in their homes with a range of health needs – chronic
conditions, dementia, serious injury and disability to name a few. To make it work for the client and for broader health
budgets it needs proper resourcing, structure and consistency.”
www.nzhha.org.nz (website in transition due to name change)