42421 (2025). Ingrid Leary to the Minister of Health

42421 (2025). Ingrid Leary to the Minister of Health: How many more nursing staff, in full-time equivalents, does the Southern region need to reach the number of FTEs calculated to be needed, if any, through the Care Capacity and Demand Management Programme to ensure safe and timely nursing care?

Hon Simeon Brown: I am advised that for the Southern district, according to the Care Capacity and Demand Management (CCDM) Programme, the number is 28.5 nurses and 14.3 health care assistants. As the Member will be aware, the CCDM contains 'moment in time' operational data, and is not a direct proxy for unsafe staffing. As Health New Zealand has said publicly, using this tool in isolation to claim that wards are under-staffed and unsafe is misleading. As part of our continued focus on strengthening the frontline workforce, I am advised that where there is a vacancy to be filled, Health New Zealand is actively recruiting. I refer the Member to Kiwi Health Jobs, which lists a number of roles that Health New Zealand is actively recruiting for: https://www.kiwihealthjobs.com/jobtools/jncustomsearch.searchResults?in_organid=19737&in_jobDate=All