A recruitment worker at Health NZ says they have already lost "loads of doctors", with the process stalling. File photo. Photo: RNZ
Budget cuts are hampering recruitment of frontline health staff, despite promises from Te Whatu Ora's new commissioner to the contrary.
Emails seen by RNZ show Te Whatu Ora recruitment teams are getting mixed messages from its directors on who is covering relocation costs for overseas hires, paying for job ads and hiring through recruitment agencies.
The health sector is struggling with a lack of workers and cuts to the budget from the government, which says it is keen to get spending under control.
Have you been affected by health worker shortages or budget cuts? Share your story at kate.green@rnz.co.nz
It has been hoped that overseas workers would help fill the gaps caused by a severe workforce shortage in healthcare.
But a recruitment worker at Health New Zealand - who RNZ has agreed not to name - said they had have been told to hold off on any relocation cost offers or placing advertisements until they got a clear answer from above.
"Usually we'd pay for flights, hotels, but that's all stopped," they said. "If it costs money, we can't do it.
"[But] we're not allowed to tell [applicants] that. We basically go through the whole recruitment process, interviews, references, etc, until the offer stage."
Then the process would stall, with emails to approving managers to finalise the hire often going unanswered, and applicants eventually giving up and going elsewhere.
"We've already lost loads of doctors," the recruitment worker said.
Their team went through job advertisements last week and removed mentions of relocation costs.
They said there seemed to be a policy among Te Whatu Ora bosses of not putting things in writing, leaving regional managers to communicate with recruitment staff.
"It just makes us look like we're terrible at our job."
The whole hiring process was being slowed from the top, they said - one job requested by a hiring manager on 9 June still had not been approved.
Meanwhile, existing staff were stressed and overworked, with the allure of better paying jobs in places like Australia a constant threat to the sector.
Te Whatu Ora chief people officer Andrew Slater said in a statement: "Relocation remains available. For SMOs [senior medical officers], it is covered in their agreement and can be negotiated at the time."
"What we've reminded people of is the need to make sure they've got this cost accounted for in their budget when they make an offer."
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has declined to comment.