ASMS

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says mental health services in almost every region are at breaking point due to overcrowding, chronic staffing shortages, and the rising number of acute cases driven by methamphetamine, and now Covid-19. Staff in Wellington Hospital’s mental health ward have told Radio New Zealand (Wellington Hospital mental health unit unsafe for staff, patients) that the unit is at crisis point. ASMS Executive Director Sarah Dalton says it’s a situation repeated in mental health units …

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Some of the things that make Northland one of the best and most beautiful parts of the country also make it one of the hardest to support in terms of health. Many of you live hours away from hospitals, while roads and other transport access are not easily navigated. The Simpson Review of our health and disability system, which was released in June, tried to look at what things might look like in the next couple of decades. Its findings …

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The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says the Covid pandemic is taking a massive toll on public health teams in Auckland which have been working tirelessly for months without a break. A call has gone out to other public health specialists around the country to give some short-term support, so those involved in the northern Covid response can take leave.

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ASMS reached out to the main political parties in the lead up to the 17 October general election to ask about their policies and priorities on health.

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The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says politically set health targets are no magic bullet for addressing the growing number of New Zealanders who are missing out on hospital treatment. As part of its just-released health policy, the National Party says it would reintroduce public reporting of updated national health targets to monitor DHB performance, including cancer treatment times, elective surgeries and emergency department wait times.

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The adoption of telehealth in New Zealand has been on the rise in recent years. Most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated a significant shift in the provision of health care services with telehealth services a key tool in preventing the spread of the virus and protecting healthcare workers from the illness. ASMS has written a Research Brief that discusses the development of telehealth and issues related to its uptake.

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ASMS supports all working people having safer sick leave. The Government has already adjusted sick leave provisions due to Covid-19 but the Council of Trade Unions wants more wide-ranging and long-lasting change. You can show your support.

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Senior hospital doctors and dentists are voicing their support for the thousands of general practice nurses who are striking today, saying all healthcare workers deserve investment. The nurses are fighting for equal pay with their district health board colleagues. “These nurses are at the coalface of our communities and the Covid pandemic has served to highlight the essential service they provide,” says the Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, Sarah Dalton. “It’s patently unfair that such pay …

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The crisis which has been playing out at the Canterbury DHB is in many ways a cautionary tale and if we do not take lessons from it, it will be the first of several large dominoes to fall. DHBs should not have to push austerity to reduce debt.  Read our opinion piece as published in the Sunday Star Times.

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The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says it’s time for the Government to front up to the people of Canterbury about the governance crisis at the District Health Board. The DHB is facing an unprecedented crisis after the resignation of 7 of the 11-strong executive management team, including the Chief Executive David Meates.

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