About 50 communications roles have been slashed by Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ is slashing the number of communication staff it employs - but there will still be 125 of them.
The organisation has been thinning out roles that are duplicated since it merged 20 district health boards and five other health entities.
It employed 173 people in its communications and engagement team a year ago, a spokesperson said.
This month it was advertising for several positions - many of them roles in regional offices.
It has cut 16 roles, with those staff encouraged to apply for the new jobs, the spokesperson said.
Other positions had not been filled after people left, they said.
The organisation has drawn criticism for its large number of comms staff, but also for how much harder it was to get clear information.
Spokesperson Catherine Delore said Health NZ/Te Whatu Ora employed 90,000 people so needed the appropriate level of communications and engagement staff.
The jobs that had gone were part of the "Unify to Simplify" process of merging the organisation which focused on reducing duplication across and making savings, she said.
The spokesperson said of the 125 communications jobs remaining, four would be in its National Public Health Service.