10. Question No. 10—HealthCUSHLA TANGAERE-MANUEL (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 10—Health10. CUSHLA TANGAERE-MANUEL (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement that there is a health workforce crisis" and if so how does he respond to senior medical officers of Tairāwhiti who have said "Recent national directives setting recruitment restrictions and hospital budget cuts make our situation even worse"?Hon Dr SHANE RETI (Minister of Health): Yes and on this side of the House we acknowledge that there have been ongoing workforce issues. Regarding Tairāwhiti Health New Zealand have advised me that recruitment issues are unfortunately nothing new. Over the past four years the vacancy rate in Tairāwhiti has been running at around 30 percent. The botched merger of Health New Zealand certainly hasn't helped resolve this ongoing issue. However the recent move by Health New Zealand to a regionally based model is an important step in ensuring for example that Tairāwhiti can access support from other hospitals for specialist services as needed. Health New Zealand have also assigned HR resources to help Tairāwhiti develop a retention and recruitment plan specifically for the district.Cushla Tangaere-Manuel: What actions will he take to reduce the vacancy rate of senior medical officers at Tairāwhiti hospital where according to those senior medical officers "staffing levels in all areas of our hospital are at critical levels"?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: The Health New Zealand chief executive has met with senior staff. The local management team are working with the international recruitment team on critical vacancies that require a focused approach to switch onboarding. Health New Zealand is assigning HR resources to help Tairāwhiti develop a retention and recruitment plan specifically for the district and Health New Zealand's move to a more regionally based model will be an important step in ensuring Tairāwhiti can access support from other hospitals for specialist services as needed.Cushla Tangaere-Manuel: Will he admit that recruitment restrictions that he has imposed across the motu have made the problem worse at Tairāwhiti hospital?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: What I admit is that as we move to a regional model Tairāwhiti will benefit from a shorter line of decision making to a regional deputy chief executive; it will improve recruitment and retention.Cushla Tangaere-Manuel: What is his response to the senior doctors in Tairāwhiti an area with the highest proportion of Māori the highest trauma rates per person and the highest levels of deprivation who wrote to Ministers "You are failing to meet your obligations."?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: My response is that we will fulfil action five of their request—that is having senior regional leadership meet with heads of departments.Cushla Tangaere-Manuel: Further to that will he commit to undertake the minimum actions demanded by those senior medical officers including lifting restrictions on recruitment committing to reducing the senior medical officer vacancy rate to less than 10 percent delivering on recruitment and retention allowances appropriately staffing the hospital's people and development office to enable recruitment and as you've said having senior regional leadership meet with the head of each department to plan appropriately?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: As I said in my last answer to those multiple arms to that question I do commit to having senior regional leadership meet with heads of departments.Cushla Tangaere-Manuel: In the spirit of that response will he accept my invitation to hui in Tairāwhiti hearing the aspirations of the community developing solutions together and of course enjoying Tairāwhiti manaakitanga?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: I thank the member for the invitation. I have already visited Tairāwhiti and Gisborne Hospital but I look forward to doing so again. Thank you for the invitation."