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More than 60 district nurses from the Waitematā District went on strike on Wednesday, April 8 to protest against unsafe levels of district nursing coverage.
District nurses, who provide care, education and support through home and community visits across areas including Waitākere, North Shore, Wellsford, and the Hibiscus Coast, protested outside the office of Whangaparāoa MP Mark Mitchell. The union says the action follows more than 18 months of unsuccessful campaigning.
Many district nursing patients are elderly or recovering from surgery and rely on regular visits for wound care and medication support. Speaking at the protest, district nurse Rosie Davenport said staffing shortages had reached “critical levels”.
“Budgets should never come before health,” she said.
She warned that the issue could have serious consequences for the wider community, with patients at risk of missing essential care.
“This shortage directly affects everyone. We aren’t asking for higher pay, but safer environments,” she said.
Fellow district nurse Nicola McQuillan said mandatory safe staffing levels were crucial, particularly given high burnout rates in the sector.
Nurses at the protest said about 70 patients were unable to receive care on April 7 due to staffing shortages.
The strike action is a part of a nationwide issue, with health authorities across New Zealand reporting ongoing gaps in community and district nursing roles. The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says chronic understaffing is placing both patients and healthcare workers under increasing pressure.
According to Health Minister Simeon Brown, the health sector has become a “productivity puzzle”. He said that despite core operating funding nearly doubling between 2014 and 2024, alongside significant workforce growth, overall productivity has declined.
However, NZNO says that staffing shortages and increased workloads are key drivers of reduced performance, warning that workforce pressures are being overlooked in discussions about productivity.
The union says that without urgent intervention, staffing shortages could worsen, leaving vulnerable patients without essential care. It has also raised concerns that pressure on hospital-based services may further impact patient outcomes, despite government disagreement.
The NZNO said it hasn’t ruled out further strike action but is awaiting the government’s response before taking next steps.
Further information on the dispute and ongoing advocacy can be found via the New Zealand Nurses Organisation.
