Balanced News: Winter health plan fails to address worker shortages, burnout, frontline staff say

Te Whatu Ora’s new winter health plan fails to address workforce shortages and staff burnout, frontline healthcare workers say. The organisation launched its 24-point plan on Wednesday, saying it would help hospitals and GPs cope with an expected surge in patient demand over the coming months. Under the plan, people with minor ailments will be able to be assessed by a pharmacist and given free or subsidised medication in line with if they had visited their GP. Family doctors will also be able to refer patients for X-rays and ultrasounds in a bid to reduce hospital admissions. Regional and national escalation plans will be in place to help improve hospital capacity by “diverting resources and patients within and across regions to support under-pressure facilities”. But a doctor from Middlemore Hospital’s emergency department, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said while diverting patients and resources sounded “good in theory”, there needed to be the staff available to deliver that