The extent of the Southern District Health Board's workforce shortages has been laid bare in a report to be tabled next week. At Dunedin Hospital, three senior medical doctors are waiting to start, 11 roles are being recruited for and nine have recently joined, with 27 in-patient nursing vacancies being advertised. This comes as the board has decided to invest an initial $2 million to grow its oncology workforce by 16. The board had been under-supplying in various aspects of its cancer services, he said, and the initial investment would help address immediate shortfalls. Long cancer care waiting times were in the spotlight in May, when waiting lists for radiation oncology services grew to 157 patients.

Source: Stuff July 03, 2021 23:03 UTC