Setting up a system to “track” bonded nurses and doctors is part of the inaugural annual plan of Health Workforce New Zealand.
Nursing Review reported earlier this year that the Minister of Health had expanded the voluntary bonding scheme despite having no idea where last year’s 683 “bonded” nurses were actually working.
Evaluating the bonding scheme and devising a tracking scheme for “enrollees” are part of a concise six page annual plan that also includes piloting nurse endoscopists, reviewing clinical training and rationalising workforce development groups.
Des Gorman, chair of HWNZ, called for sector feedback on the board’s first plan since being set up in late 2009 by the Minister of Health to coordinate and lead national health workforce development.
He said the board was also just finalising its advice on future postgraduate training needs and a copy of this would be available on its website shortly.
“We know the challenges New Zealand faces, particularly in retaining our talented clinical workforce, and are determined to create excellent and flexible career opportunities, as well as applying the best techniques in planning to ensure we have a fit-for-purpose health workforce,” Gorman said in a letter to health professional bodies and health providers.
Innovations backed under the board’s annual plan include establishing demonstration sites for physician assistants, nurse endoscopy and RN surgical assistants, plus approving demonstration sites for diabetes nurse specialist prescribing.
In the primary care workforce it is to look at issues effecting primary care nurse training, and in surgery to get “capacity enhancement” programmes like The Productive Operating Theatre (TPOT) under way.
The HWNZ board is also this year to set up a business unit within the National Health Board business unit.
At present policy and administrative support is provide by the Ministry of Health’s Health Workforce Group, which is made up of the Strategic Workforce Development unit, the Clinical Training Agency and the HWNZ secretariat.
