Hey NZ tooteratii...

An older friend is receiving multiple calls from a blocked number, with the caller claiming to be from Health NZ. The first was on Friday, with the caller saying they were "checking patients in outer Canterbury" who are on waiting lists.

While my friend is on a waiting list, she lives in Southland. (Red flag)

Then came the request for NH number, which my friend refused to give to a blocked number and hung up.

Then she rang Southland Hospital who confirmed she's still on the surgical wait list and they knew nothing about the phone calls.

This morning she's received another two calls, about an hour apart. I listened in to the second call and it seems dodgy to me. A woman with a heavy Indian accent was quite pushy in demanding information. Both times my friend said she would not provide personal information to someone using a blocked number, and hung up.

Given the recent ManageMyHealth fiasco, I've advised her to ring Health NZ to see if they can confirm that the calls are kosher.

Is this a scam targeting older people? Or just the Luxon government hiring an offshore call centre to try and reduce waiting lists?

Is anyone else getting these types of calls?

#HealthNZ #Scam #NZ

https://youtube.com/shorts/bQIZ8cyj6KE

What are the parallels of this US loophole in the NZ health system?
Do our insurance companies decide beyond the payments around which hospitals patients/doctors should use?
#HealthNZ #medicalinsurance

NZ Privacy Commissioner announces inquiry into #ManageMyHealth #DataBreach and #privacy issues. Inquiry will also look at what steps will be taken to prevent such an incident happening again.

IMHO that should also include legal and policy settings and what actions by NZ Government and #HealthNZ are needed.
#NZpol
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/584627/privacy-commissioner-announces-inquiry-into-manage-my-health-cybersecurity-breach

An Infometrics’ report called "How many more nurses does New Zealand need?" was released today. Some quotes.

There is "widespread understaffing across multiple departments and wards throughout the country."

"Southland Hospital’s emergency department was understaffed 90% of the time..."

""They’re actually expecting nurses to do the job of two or three nurses every shift."

"In the Southern health district, wards were understaffed 33% in total and 50% of the time during the day shifts."

Good on the nurses for turning their backs on Simeon Brown -- a hopeless Minister of Health whose speciality is road cones.

https://archive.ph/WfbC2

@ArrestJK

#HealthNZ #NZPol #Nurses

New Minister—and therefore, new CEO?

https://www.seek.co.nz/job/81609451 #TeWhatuOra #HealthNZ

Some consultants and contractors have been paid $NZMs for their work on #HealthIT.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/535125/health-nz-72m-spent-on-outsourced-staff-for-single-it-project-amid-staff-cuts

Despite this most #NZHealth Computer Projects are still unfinished. With #HealthNZ cutting IT staff and project funding it looks like those projects may never be finished. #NZpol
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/534028/revealed-impact-of-hospitals-forced-to-give-back-millions-for-tech-upgrades

Fingers crossed Health NZ's project to pay $2B owed to current and former staff gets a move on not a shut down!
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/535022/health-nz-s-project-to-pay-2b-back-to-staff-makes-slow-progress

"At the risk of taking page 234 out of context, ... , the page shows that Health NZ, by spending what it had up till May 2024, had achieved:
* More patients getting more care
* "More clinical staff than ever before"
* More clinical staff delivering care more safely
* And, partly by hiring 3000 or so more nurses, a budget blowout that has led to an overhaul of the 2022 health reforms"

#NZPol #HealthNZ

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/530277/one-page-out-of-454-sheds-light-on-health-new-zealand-money-woes

Without comment: "The "14 layers of management" at Health NZ Te Whatu Ora criticised by the government as bureaucratic bloat include the patient, and the nurse or doctor providing care for them."

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/523463/patients-doctors-on-list-of-14-layers-of-management-at-health-nz

#NZPol #HealthNZ

Just did a live interview on breakfast TV about the development of NZs first rare disorder strategy, then had a quick chat to the incoming Prime Minister in the green room.

Not my normal morning routine, but hopefully I made sensible noises about our work!

#RareDisorders #Disability #HealthNZ