Nurses previously protesting conditions in 2021. Photo: RNZ / Finlay Dunseath
About 1000 patients will have their operations cancelled if a strike by hospital nurses goes ahead next month.
Members of the Nurses Organisation will walk off the job for 24 hours on 9 and 10 August, unless they vote to accept the latest pay offer next week.
Te Whatu Ora Ora chief executive Margie Apa told a board meeting today that planning for the strike was under way "on a hospital by hospital basis".
"We think that there will be about 1000 people who need to have procedures deferred or rescheduled.
"But we are working with teams locally to ensure that is minimised as much as possible."
The interim clinical lead for Te Whatu Ora, Dr Richard Sullivan, said management was working closely with clinical nurse leaders to ensure patient care would not be compromised.
"There are active conversations going on around planned care to ensure those life-preserving services are in place so we continue to provide that high quality of service during this time."
Meanwhile, a year on from the official launch of Te Whatu Ora, the first job losses have been confirmed.
Margie Apa said three of the eight corporate departments had completed their restructuring so far, with a loss of 322 full-time jobs.
The merger of 20 district health boards had already allowed about $75m in savings at corporate level, through renegotiating contracts for insurance and other services, she said.
"And that's only the first year. There will be many more opportunities."
