Health Survey Justifies Better Treatment

WEDNESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2004

Health Survey Justifies Better Treatment Of Health Professionals

''The results of the independent international survey provides more justification for district health boards need to value doctors, nurses and other health professionals much more with improved and fairer terms and conditions of employment,'' said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell was commenting on the independent survey of the health care systems of New Zealand, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States.

“New Zealand scores highly in areas such as patient safety, patient needs, efficiency and effectiveness. This is overwhelmingly due to the dedication, commitment and skill of health professionals and yet they continue to be devalued in their employment conditions.”

“This survey reinforces the point that New Zealand’s health professionals are highly valued internationally and are attractive recruits to the other four countries where there are large staffing shortages and generally better employment conditions.”

“District health boards would be doing themselves a favour if they remembered this when the senior doctors’ collective agreement negotiations resume this week.”

“It is also interesting that the most consistent poor performer was the United States which has the most business market-based health system of the five countries surveyed,” concluded Mr Powell.

Ian Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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