2123 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

2123 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What actions, if any, have been taken in the last quarter to improve retention of primary and community sector workforce as per page 20 of Te Whatu Ora's Health Workforce Plan 2023/24?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that Part 1 of the Health Workforce Plan 2023/24 (including pages 19, 20, and 21 of the plan) is focused on the long-term opportunity to address health workforce sustainability and do not have quarterly deliverables or reporting. In addition, I am advised Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) has various actions underway to meet some of the areas covered in Plan, such as working closely with the Tertiary Education Commission, stakeholders and regulatory bodies. I understand that this includes working on how Health NZ can better enable the primary and community sector to grow and retain the workforce it needs; as seen, for example, in the approach taken to increasing the number of nurses to ensure primary and community care is well-staffed.