Across Aotearoa we have seen a slight easing in pressure on services with fewer COVID-19 positive admissions and more manageable staffing levels in some areas which has been a welcome change, particularly for the northern region. However, we have continued to see pressure on our teams as the ‘peak’ of this outbreak moved its way down the country with Canterbury and Southland recently experiencing the highest number of cases in those regions to date.
We want to thank each and every one of our members for their hard work during this time; we are living and working in the midst of a global pandemic where the situation continues to be very fluid but to see our workforce rise to the challenge, and to see the flexibility and commitment in ensuring that our communities and patients still get the best care possible has been a credit to our profession.
While it is an uncertain time for many, it is important to remind ourselves that our own health and welfare is also incredibly important and it is important to make sure we are looking out for ourselves and our colleagues. Just a reminder that we have a great support team in place who are available to provide advice or guidance for any employment related concerns. DHBs are also continuing to offer increased EAP services and if you are a member of MPS they also offer support through their membership.
The STONZ team have been busy working with the DHBs and other national groups on preparedness planning and the national policies that have supported local operational decisions. As well as working with local DHBs, and supporting a large number of our members with individual challenges throughout this time.
As this outbreak starts to wane, our focus will turn firmly towards the projects and MECA implementation work we negotiated in December 2021, and we will have more to update our members in subsequent newsletters as to our progress.