PSA calls for investigation into digital job cuts

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth 

The country’s largest trade union has asked the Privacy Commissioner to conduct an urgent investigation into proposed cuts to the data and digital directorate at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, “due to the dangerous impact they will have on the security and privacy of patient health information”.

Public Service Association (PSA) acting national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons has written to the Commissioner about Health NZ’s plans to  reduce its digital services team by 47 percent, saying the proposed cuts “will significantly impact privacy and need to be examined in detail”.

“The proposed cuts are being made purely on the basis of cutting costs, and do not take into consideration the importance of the work being performed by the affected employees and the impact of losing their expertise,” she says. 

“Instead of making cuts, investment is needed to ensure that the risks identified in the already failing system are mitigated.”

The data and digital consultation document details plans to slash 1120 net roles from the directorate’s current workforce of 2405 FTE as part of an effort to save $100 million a year from the directorate’s budget.

The consultation has attracted more than 6000 comments, questions, and suggestions about the change proposal and has now closed.

The PSA’s submission says it will be “absolutely impossible” to realise the stated goals of the data and digital directorate with a 47 percent reduction in staff, as the team has been unable to achieve them with the staffing levels they have now.

“The goals and rationale provided are no more than empty words trying to cover up the reality of the very real damage the D&D proposal is going to inflict on New Zealand’s public health care system,” the submission says.

It says the proposed changes pose significant risks to the health and safety of health staff, and the proposal lacks financial transparency as it does not include any financial information that proves that the reduction in staff will save money across the business. 

“While the proposed cuts in staff numbers might decrease the D&D ‘run rate’, the associated issues arising from a lack of staffing  (increased system failures, decreased security, increased IT workload or wait times for clinicians, etc.), will cost the business significantly more than what is being saved,” the PSA submission says.

Darren Douglass, Health NZ acting chief information technology officer, says the Digital Services team and other key stakeholders have been highly engaged in the consultation process.   

“We will now take time to carefully consider all feedback before any final decisions are made,” he says.

“All decision documents will be shared with affected staff first. We will update staff in the coming weeks on the timeline for next steps.”

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