Statement attributable to Fiona McCarthy, Interim Chief Human Resources Office Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Health NZ is moving toward a sustainable future for New Zealand healthcare, including ensuring we can live within our budget.

We are undertaking a change process to ensure our resources and people are organised in the best way to support the frontline.

Consultation processes are currently open with our People and Culture and Communications and Engagement teams.

The consultation documents are proposals, and we are asking for feedback from staff and unions over the next few weeks. That will be carefully considered before final decisions are made.

We recognise that the change process has been unsettling for staff, but we are focussed on strengthening our frontline and enabling them to provide quality, affordable healthcare at the right time and in the right place and, importantly, achieve the national health and mental health targets.

The table below is based on proposals in our consultation documents.

It is our intention that the vast majority of change process across Health NZ will be completed by mid-2025.

Function Employed FTE (as at start of consultation) Proposed FTE (Reduction/increase (net - excluding vacancies) Proposed FTE following reduction (excluding transfer impacts) Current vacancies (indicative) Proposed reduction of vacancies Proposed Vacancies following reduction 
Digital Services 1,938 -653 1,285 467 467 0
Pacific Health  148.2 -48.8 99.4 10.3 10.3 0
Hauora Maori Services 221 15 236 146 146 0
PFO - Former SI&I Functions 339 -97.6 241.4 28 28 0
Procurement & Supply Chain 237 12 249 46 45 1
Clinical Leadership 49.4 8.6 58 0 0 0
Audit, Assurance & Risk 82 -23 59 6 6 0
Finance 974 -123 851 96 96 0
People & Culture 1632 -338 1294 275 275 0
Communication & Engagement 178 -69 109 52 50 2