Health NZ accepts more than 400 voluntary redundancies

By RNZ

Health NZ Te Whatu Ora has accepted just over 400 applications from staff to take voluntary redundancy.

It called for voluntary redundancies in August as it tries to cut costs to head off a huge deficit.

Its chief executive, Margie Apa, said it was continuing to assess applications.

Frontline clinical staff were not eligible, Apa said.

Health NZ said it was unable to talk about what effect the redundancies would have on budgets while the process was under way.

Voluntary redundancy was offered to a limited number of staff working in administration, policy advisory and specialist services.

Junior doctors warned losing admin support would hurt patients because they would have less time to care for them.

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