Andrew Little says he’s completely happy to stay it out because the well being minister, arguably one of many hardest gigs in politics, as Prime Minister Chris Hipkins meets with Labour MPs to allocate portfolios and arrange his Cabinet forward of a reshuffle subsequent week.
Hipkins promised to “refresh, repriotise and refocus” the Government to “bread and butter” points in his first day in the job on Wednesday, the place he additionally pledged his dedication to “quality public services” in well being, training and housing.
Little stated he was very completely happy in the well being portfolio, however would do no matter Hipkins requested of him. Health can also be slated to be a key election subject, and Little is an skilled senior minister, however well being is broadly thought of an space the place the Government could desire a reset.
“I take the view that it is the Prime Minister’s call in allocation of portfolios and I am available for whatever Chris Hipkins wants,” he stated.
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Little has additionally had a generally fractious relationship with a lot of the workforce – together with nurses who’re heading to the employment courtroom over their pay fairness declare. Growing demand in the well being system – and the hazards this poses to sufferers – dominated headlines for a lot of final 12 months.
National has promised to reverse the well being reforms, the Government’s programme to centralise healthcare, in addition to concentrate on Māori well being, ought to it win the election.
Interest teams have continued to name for extra funding and help regardless of Labour pouring an additional $13.2 billion went into well being in the final finances – a 3rd of all new spending – and rising well being expenditure because it took workplace in 2017.
Tom Lee/Stuff
Health Minister Andrew Little says he’s very completely happy in the job. (File photograph)
Sarah Dalton, chief government of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, stated Little alongside affiliate well being ministers Dr Ayesha Verrall and Peeni Henare had been a “great team” and there was nonetheless extra to be accomplished in the reforms.
Verrall, who was catapulted to Jacinda Ardern’s Cabinet in 2020, is an infectious ailments’ doctor who was a member of the union and has clout with clinicians, she stated.
Paul Goulter, chief government of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, was happy Hipkins had made it clear well being can be a precedence, and nurses had been happy with the variety of bulletins earlier than Christmas, together with including worldwide nurses and midwives to the ‘green list’ which permits them rapid residency.
But how the Government dealt with long-standing understaffing and workforce planning points, exacerbated by the pandemic and New Zealand’s reliance on overseas-trained nurses, can be key.
“What we are hearing is that this [workforce pressure] is an exceptional event and it just goes on and on,” he stated. “People are definitely fatigued, they’re stressed.”
“Nothing about that can be done in the short term without addressing the long term failings of successive governments.”
Cabinet reshuffle: Health Minister Andrew Little ‘very completely happy’ in role
Cabinet reshuffle: Health Minister Andrew Little ‘very completely happy’ in role
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Cabinet reshuffle: Health Minister Andrew Little ‘very completely happy’ in role