Around 20,000 community health workers will be expecting a pay rise as a result of a new package intended to address pay parity in the sector.
“Today’s announcement is good news for the estimated 20,000 people who will get a pay rise, and for the organisations employing them,” says the Health Minister, Andrew Little.
According to the Government, in the remainder of this financial year, $40 million will be made available, with $200 million a year after that.
The announcement also recognises healthcare works and aged-care being as valuable parts of the “mainstream” health care system; particularly important news for aged care nurses who will finally be paid at parity with their counterparts in public hospitals.
“This is going to make a real, real difference and this is a day to celebrate for all the hard working nurses in the 650 care homes across the country,” says Chief Executive of the New Zealand Aged Care Association (NZACA), Simon Wallace.
“It will make a difference for 40,000 older New Zealanders who are under specialist care of our nurses on the frontline, it’s great news.”
According to Wallace, the extra funding will certainly help to retain nurses in the healthcare sector at a time where they’re some 1200 nurses down and in attracting more to the profession.
To read the official announcement, click here.
