18th November 2016
MEDIA STATEMENT
Upskilled Workers Desperate for Work While Staffing Crisis in Mental Health Continues
Pakuranga’s John Mahoney, an experienced Health Care Assistant who worked a number of years at Middlemore hospital,
recently become more qualified as an Enrolled Nurse. To John’s dismay he found this step made him less employable than
before. John had planned to use his experience in mental health, acute care, and rehabilitation. to make a contribution
in the area. It is well known within the mental health sector that services are struggling due to increased patient
numbers and insufficient staff. Both the PSA and the Greens have called for an inquiry into the sector they consider to
be in crisis.
John has been told by DHBs he can no longer be employed as Health Care Assistant (HCA) as he is now a qualified Enrolled
Nurse. However, he has found not jobs available for Enrolled Nurses despite staff shortages in mental health facilities
including the Inpatient Unit He Puna Waiora at Auckland’s North Shore Hospital which recently closed some beds due to
insufficient staff numbers. John noted that DHBs often addressed the issue of short staffed wards by bringing in HCAs
and Registered Nurses from private personnel agencies or bureaus, which is surely a more expensive way to staff the
wards than using Enrolled Nurses.
John believes that the lack of recognition and use of Enrolled Nurses could be placing patient safety at risk. He notes
that HCAs are being increasing employed and working longer hours. Instead of using a more qualified Enrolled Nurse DHBs
will instead use an extra HCA to save money. He described a situation he was aware of where there were two Registered
Nurses on a 30 bed ward and HCAs had to watch a number of high risk patients under the supervision of thinly spread
Registered Nurses. If there was an Enrolled Nurse on duty the consistency of work across HCAs could be better managed
and patient safety could be more ensured.
John says that a way the Government can better ensure both patient and staff wellbeing in the health sector is by
funding jobs for enrolled nurses or allowing a pathway to practice. He notes that this would boast mental health
services and would help both consumers and unemployed persons like him and other students he graduated with.
John, now unemployed for months, continues to look for work and hopes his skills can be used in New Zealand for mental
health patients in need.
For further comment or interview call John on 027 582 2579
See attached photo of John Outside Middlemore Hospital, where is now too qualified to work.