- Health NZ taking up to 30 weeks to approve starting a recruitment process
- The delays are in addition to the time it takes to do the recruitment
- Wellington data a snapshot of what's happening nationally as health funding squeezed
Official Information Act data released to the PSA shows Health NZ is taking months to approve starting a recruitment process for vacant clinical roles in the Wellington region.
In some cases, it took up to 30 weeks for management to approve a hiring process for critical vacant frontline roles. These included medical imaging technologists who operate x-ray, CT and MRI equipment, roles vital for patient diagnosis and treatment.
"This is a disturbing snapshot of the staffing crisis health workers tell us is being replicated across the country, compromising patient care and putting workers under severe stress," said Fleur Fitzsimons National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Mahi.
"All this can be sheeted home to the Government choosing to squeeze funding for the public health system while giving landlords tax relief."
"This data alone explains why New Zealanders are having to suffer ever increasing waiting lists and slower treatment. It all comes down to the Government failing to invest in the health system New Zealanders need."
The roles are from all over the health system, including radiographers, administrative staff, oral health therapists, doctors, nurses, and healthcare assistants - all key jobs that keep the health system working for patients 24/7 (see attached spreadsheet).
According to the OIA release, which covers the period from March to May 2025, there were 219 recruitment requests in the Capital & Coast District that took over two months to be approved.
Ninety-one of those vacant roles waited over 20 weeks for approval for recruit, and as of last month, 45 of the roles that were applied for in March have still not been filled.
"Dozens of teams across Wellington are waiting months for their recruitment request to just be approved internally, let alone filled.
"It's understandable if recruitment is delayed because of labour market conditions, or because it's difficult to find a specialist professional, but ultimately this shows it comes down to Health NZ being forced to stretch its budget and slow down recruitment.
"Allowing such long-standing vacancies in so many areas of the health system is a recipe for burnout and eventually, even higher vacancy rates as staff quit for overseas hospitals where their skills are valued.
The delays in recruitment mean there is not safe staffing levels which is a key reason over 17,000 health workers represented by the PSA - including allied health staff, mental and public health nurses, and policy, knowledge, advisory and specialist workers - will strike again this Friday 28 November for four hours.
"Workers are sick and tired of being ignored and must again send a loud and clear message to the Government that it must listen to their concerns and make patient care a priority. Enough is enough."
