Former Staff Took Employment Action Against Te Whatu Ora, as Operations Waiting List Climbs
Pressure continued to mount on Christchurch Hospital dealing to a growing waiting list for heart surgeries and lack of qualified technicians. The Wigram looks beyond the veil of secrecy for answers.
Former anaesthetic technicians (ATs) have taken employment action against Te Whatu Ora.
Carol Brian picketing outside the Out-patients Building. In May, Carol told The Wigram she was seeking heart surgery for her husband, after suffering a stroke in February 2022.
The news came on the back of accusations that a bullying culture existed in the AT department and as the waiting list for heart surgery and operation numbers have surged (see beyond the paywall).
Te Whatu Ora says that less “than five” technicians had taken an employment case against their former employer. None of the cases had been “determined by a court, tribunal or other body”.
A veil of secrecy hangs over just what Te Whatu has done to improve the workplace culture, or why AT overtime has spiked despite its assurance that heart surgery numbers have been scaled back.
The veil goes farther.
Te Whatu would not disclose the number of cases it had settled, nor how much it had paid to settle the claims of the former workers.
Nor would it disclose just how many of its former or current AT departmental managers had taken legal action or any other related information.
On 2 October the national health body confirmed that 8 technicians working at Christchurch Hospital had resigned between April and June.
The raft of resignations came as Te Whatu Ora figures showed that across the hospital services the AT workforce had completed a staggering 912 hours of overtime in June, and more than 3,700 hours across March to August.
Te Whatu Ora (supplied)
Despite Te Whatu Ora adding 13 new workers (including 12 ATs), there appears to no end in sight to the shortage.
As of 29 August, it had 29 vacancies amongst a workforce which plays a critical role supporting surgeons and operating theatres.
Te Whatu Ora (supplied, 2 October 2023)
“This does mean that Cardiothoracic surgery now has fewer operating sessions available each week than previously,” a spokesperson wrote.
It acknowledged the problem has gone on now for at least 12 months.
New Surgeon and Boost in Heart Surgeries
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