File photo. Photo: 123RF
Nurses working in primary care will get an 8 percent pay increase this year, but it still leaves them lagging behind their colleagues working in hospitals.
Nurses Organisation primary health chair Tracey Morgan said under the new multi-employment collective agreement, nurses will get an immediate increase of 5 percent, followed by a further 3 percent in July.
"This is good news for primary and community care nurses. However, their base hourly rate remains on average about 10 percent below Te Whatu Ora nurses despite having the same skills and qualifications.
"Until primary and community care nurses are paid the same, they will continue to leave GPs and iwi and community clinics for better paid hospital jobs here and overseas."
The union was urging the government to keep its pre-election commitment to pay primary care nurses the same as those working in hospitals, she said.
"If people can't get the health care they need in their communities, they end up at hospital even sicker. This puts more pressure on our already stretched hospitals."
A recent Victoria University of Wellington study found 36 percent of New Zealand's general practices were closed to new enrolments last year, with workforce shortages cited as the major reason people were being turned away.
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