Dr Lester Levy. Photo: RNZ
The Commissioner of Health New Zealand insists he knew nothing about an internal staff presentation detailing potential widescale job cuts for frontline healthworkers to save money.
RNZ has seen a copy of the presentation about "potential cost savings in hospital and specialist services" to senior leadership on Tuesday, which suggested a total reduction of 4492 staff, including 470 doctors, 1491 nurses, 338 allied staff and more than 2000 managers and admin workers.
In total, that would save more than $700 million.
Health NZ currently has about 78,000 full-time employees.
If you've got information or documents about job cuts in the health sector contact ruth.hill@rnz.co.nz
However, this proposition apparently came as a surprise to newly appointed Commissioner, Dr Lester Levy, who last night sent an all-staff memo to every Te Whatu Ora employee to "set the record straight" on frontline clinical staff.
"For the avoidance of doubt, what was presented is in direct conflict with our thinking and should be dismissed," he wrote.
The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners Ken Whelan and Roger Jarrold were "absolutely committed to a strong clinical frontline to drive better health outcomes for New Zealanders".
"The clinical frontline will not be cut or reduced, and our plans are to strengthen it.
"We do of course have a serious financial problem and as part of our reset at Health NZ we need to make sure we live within budget, but not at the expense of the clinical frontline."
Health Minister Shane Reti said he had received assurances directly from the Commissioner that this proposal did not "in any way" represent his planning for Health NZ's future.
"I share his deep disappointment with the way material was communicated.
"As we have repeatedly said, these reforms are looking to increase frontline staff, not cut frontline staff."