5 June 2025
Ronald Frey
[FYI request #29990 email] Tēnā koe Ronald
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00078616
Thank you for your email on 6 February 2025, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for the
following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA):
: I am submitting an Official Information request for information regarding the Resident
Medical Officer (RMO) offices and the Northern Regional Alliance
(NRA) in the greater Auckland region.
1. RMO Office/NRA Staffing, Structure, and Budget
Staffing Breakdown:
The total number of staff employed in RMO offices/NRA across the greater Auckland
region.
A breakdown of staff roles, including position titles, job descriptions, and whether these
roles are full-time, part-time, or contracted.The minimum and preferred qualifications
required for each role, including any mandatory training or experience.
2. Budget and Funding:
The total annual budget allocated to the RMO office/NRA, including a detailed breakdown
of expenditure by category (e.g., salaries, operational
costs, administration, recruitment, and external contracts).
Any funding received from external sources, including Te Whatu Ora, DHBs, or private
entities.
A breakdown of how funds are allocated across different hospitals within
the Auckland region.
3. Staff Training and Employment Conditions:
Are RMO office/NRA staff required to undergo training on NZRDA SECA and STONZ
SECA agreements?
If so, what training is provided, how often, and who delivers it?
Are RMO office staff members part of any collective employment agreements, or are they
employed under individual contracts?
How much annual leave is typically taken by RMO office staff per year?
What financial compensation, allowances, or other benefits are provided to RMO office staff
for:
- Overtime work
- Additional responsibilities
- Managing urgent or unplanned workforce shortages
4. Relationship Between RMO Office/NRA and Locum Bureau
Division of Responsibilities:
Where does the responsibility of the locum bureau begin, and where does the responsibility
of the RMO office/NRA end?
Are there any formal agreements, policies, or memoranda of understanding that outline the
division of responsibilities?
What specific functions are performed by each (e.g., shift allocation, vacancy tracking,
financial approvals, payroll processing)?
5. Shift Allocation and Commission:
Does the locum bureau receive any commission, bonuses, or other financial incentives for
filling vacant If so, how is this structured (e.g., per shift, percentage-based, performance-
based)?
\r\n- What criteria are used to determine whether a shift is advertised through
the locum bureau or managed internally by the RMO office/NRA?
6. Transparency and Fair Access to Shifts:
What steps are taken to ensure fair access to locum shifts for RMOs?
Are there any priority systems or ranking mechanisms for allocating shifts?
Are there audit processes in place to ensure locum shifts are allocated fairly and
equitably?
How does the RMO office/NRA track unfilled shifts, and what actions are
taken when a shift remains vacant?
7. Senior Management Intelligence & Decision-Making
. Data Collection and Reporting:
What data and reports does the RMO office/NRA collect on RMO staffing,
rostering, vacancies, and workforce conditions?
How frequently is this data reported to senior management, and in what
format?
What key performance indicators (KPIs) are used to assess RMO staffing and shift
coverage?
Are historical trends and patterns in RMO workforce shortages analysed and
used for workforce planning?
8. Accuracy of Workforce Intelligence:
What mechanisms are in place to ensure that the intelligence provided to
senior management accurately reflects conditions on the ground?
Are there regular audits or cross-checks between RMO workforce reports and actual shift
coverage data?
How does the RMO office/NRA collect feedback from RMOs on the accuracy of
workforce reports?
Complaints and Dispute Resolution
9. Handling of Complaints:
- What is the process for handling complaints related to:
- RMO staffing and workforce shortages
- Shift allocations and rostering disputes
- RMO office/NRA decision-making processes
- How many formal complaints have been received in the last three years
regarding:
-Shift allocations
- Locum shift availability
- RMO workforce conditions
10. Resolution Process:
What is the average timeframe for resolving complaints related to
workforce planning and shift allocation?
What escalation pathways exist for RMOs if they are dissatisfied with the
handling of a complaint?
What steps are taken to address systemic issues identified through
complaints?
Leave, Compensation, and Workforce Trends
11. Leave and Absences:
- How much annual leave, sick leave, and unpaid leave has been taken by RMO
office/NRA staff in the past three years?
- Has there been an increase or decrease in annual leave uptake over this
period?
12. Workforce Stability and Staff Turnover:
- What has been the turnover rate for RMO office/NRA staff in the past three
years?
- Are exit interviews conducted for departing staff, and if so, what are the
common reasons cited for leaving?
13. Impact of Staffing Shortages:
How does the RMO office/NRA handle situations where key administrative
roles are vacant?
- Have there been instances where staff shortages within the RMO office/NRA
have impacted shift allocations or rostering decisions?
On 14 March 2025, Health NZ sought clarification and you agreed to refine the timeframe to 1 July
2022 to the present.
Response
I am very sorry for the time it has taken to respond. It is a very complex response, requiring input
from a number of areas within Health NZ. I do hope it is still of value despite the delay.
For the sake of clarity, I will address each question in turn.
1. The total number of staff employed in RMO offices/NRA across the greater Auckland
region.
As at 6 February 2025 the total number of staff employed in the RMO Workforce Operations team
was 43 FTE (full time equivalents).
A breakdown of staff roles, including position titles, job descriptions, and whether these
roles are full-time, part-time, or contracted. The minimum and preferred qualifications
required for each role, including any mandatory training or experience.
RMO recruitment (including onboarding), ongoing work eligibility administration, allocation and
change management are administered at a regional level by RMO Workforce Operations.
Rostering and Daily Operations for some services are managed at the local level, these are called
outlier services because they have their own RMO support within the service that are responsible
for these activities.
Inlier services at the District are overseen and managed by RMO Workforce Operations, through
RMO Support Units which are located on site at Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitematā
Districts.
This is not unique to the Auckland region; there are outlier services within each District that
oversee their own RMO administration, rather than this being managed by the RMO Support Unit.
Table A – RMO Workforce Operations Positions, provides a list of staff roles including position title,
the budgeted FTE and whether these positions are covered by a Health NZ collective agreement
or an Individual Employment Agreement (IEA). The Employment Type identifies whether these
roles are full time permanent, part time, filled on a fixed term basis or are vacant as at 6 February
2025.
A copy of position descriptions for these roles are provided in
Appendix One. The position
descriptions provide information on the minimum and preferred qualifications required for each
role, including any mandatory training or experience.
Table A – RMO Workforce Operations Positions
Position Title
Budgeted Terms and Employment Type
FTE
Conditions
Portfolio Manager Workforce Operations
1.0 IEA
Full Time Permanent
Regional Recruitment and Allocation
1.0 IEA
1.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
Manager
vacant at OIA date
RMO Workforce Operations Employment
1.0 IEA
Full Time Permanent
Relations and Human Resources Manager
RMO Operations Project Manager
3.0 IEA
3.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
0.6 FTE Part time
RMO Daily Operations Manager
3.0 IEA
2.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
1.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
vacant at OIA date
Recruitment and Allocation Team Leader
2.0 IEA
Full Time Permanent
Rostering Team Leader
1.0 IEA
Full Time Permanent
RMO Workforce Operations Employment
1.0 IEA
Full Time Permanent
Relations and Human Resources Advisor
Workforce Team Coordinator
1.0 IEA
Full Time Permanent
Recruitment and Allocation Consultant
8.0 IEA
7.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
1.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
vacant at OIA date
Sourcing Consultant
1.0 PAKS CA
Full Time Permanent
RMO Daily Operations Advisor
11.0 Clerical CA
10.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
1.0 FTE Fixed Term
Rostering and Run Specialist
4.0 Clerical CA
Full Time Permanent
Recruitment and Allocations Coordinator
4.0 Clerical CA
3.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
1.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
vacant at OIA date
Finance and Reimbursement Coordinator
2.0 Clerical CA
Full Time Permanent
RMO Daily Operations Coordinator
3.0 Clerical CA
2.0 FTE Full Time Permanent
1.0 FTE Fixed Term
2. Budget and Funding:
The total annual budget allocated to the RMO office/NRA, including a detailed breakdown
of expenditure by category (e.g., salaries, operational costs, administration, recruitment,
and external contracts).
In financial year 24/25 there was no specific annual budget allocated to the RMO Office/NRA. The
NRA is now consolidated into Health NZ and are part of the People and Communication functional
group. Costs relating to the RMO Office operations are spread across the corporate and district
offices. For the year to date to 31 March 2025, the costs are as follows:
Table B – Costs related to RMO Office operations
Central
Auckland Counties Waitematā
Total
& other
Salaries
384,086
336,699
411,140
861,358 1,993,283
Administration
58,298
55,029
53,260
138,384
304,971
Operational costs
1,791
1,359
1,621
158,126
162,897
Extrenal costs (Recruitment& Other)
230
0
0
925,055
925,285
Total
444,405
393,087
466,021 2,082,923 3,386,436
Any funding received from external sources, including Te Whatu Ora, DHBs, or private
entities.
Following amalgamation of all district health boards, their shared service agencies and some
functions of the Ministry of Health, funding for all operations from the Crown is now provided to
Health NZ. There is no specific funding allocated to the RMO office/NRA. Rather, costs for running
operations of the RMO Office are budgeted within the People and Communication functional
budget and are covered within the funding received by Health NZ.
3. Staff Training and Employment Conditions:
Are RMO office/NRA staff required to undergo training on NZRDA SECA and STONZ
SECA agreements? If so, what training is provided, how often, and who delivers it?
All staff who are employed in the RMO Workforce Operations team are provided with training on
the NZRDA and STONZ collective agreements (CAs) as part of their induction upon
commencement of employment.
Refresher training is completed across the wider team at scheduled intervals and also on an ad-
hoc basis where a need is identified.
This includes monthly training days for Daily Operations staff with sessions open to all employees,
Quarterly State of the Nation meetings for the RMO Workforce Operations team and twice weekly
CA question and answer (Q&A) forums where staff can raise operational queries regarding CA
interpretation.
In addition to this, all staff attend training following settlement of a new RMO CA in accordance
with advice provided by the Advocates as part of the Health NZ Implementation Plan.
The RMO Workforce Operations team also have access to regional and national resources that
operationalise the RMO CAs. One such resource is the Health NZ and STONZ National Manual,
which is available on the Health NZ intranet.
Training on the RMO CA terms and conditions is delivered by the Employment Relations / Human
Resources Manager and Employment Relations / Human Resources Advisor. These two roles also
deliver the twice weekly Q&A forums for CA queries.
The Employment Relations / Human Resources Manager has been a member of the Health NZ
bargaining team for national RMO collective agreement negotiations since 2016 and was a Co-
Advocate for the NZRDA collective agreement negotiations in 2024.
Are RMO office staff members part of any collective employment agreements, or are they
employed under individual contracts?
Please see response to Q1.
Table A – RMO Workforce Operations Positions identifies which positions fall within coverage of
these Collective Agreements.
How much annual leave is typically taken by RMO office staff per year?
The average number of annual leave hours taken by RMO Workforce Operations staff (RMO Office
and NRA) over the last three calendars years (2022, 2023, 2024) is 139 hours or 17.5 days.
What financial compensation, allowances, or other benefits are provided to RMO office staff
for:
•
Overtime work
•
Additional responsibilities
•
Managing urgent or unplanned workforce shortages
RMO office staff are paid overtime in accordance with the provisions set out in the relevant CA for
additional hours related to overtime or on call arrangements.
Where additional responsibilities are undertaken, staff will be paid as relevant in accordance with
higher duties policies or the relevant CA provision.
There is no additional remuneration for managing urgent or unplanned workforce shortages,
except those set out above and required by the relevant CA.
4. Relationship Between RMO Office/NRA and Locum Bureau
Division of Responsibilities:
Where does the responsibility of the locum bureau begin, and where does the responsibility
of the RMO office/NRA end?
There are no separate locum bureau that is responsible for shift coverage across the three
Auckland metro Districts.
There is a locum registration process managed within Recruitment and Allocations as part of the
RMO Workforce Operations team.
RMOs wanting to register to locum across the three Auckland metro Districts are directly engaged
as casual employees, with the majority being permanently employed within Health NZ, and picking
up additional shifts at other Districts under their casual employment agreement.
The locum registration process is complete once the RMO has signed a casual employment
agreement and completed their onboarding and pre-employment requirements.
RMO Workforce Operations provides an after-hours regional service which is staffed by the RMO
Units as part of an after-hours on call roster. This operates between 1630 – 2230 hours Monday to
Friday and 0630 – 2230 hours Saturdays and Sundays.
Vacant shifts are handed over to the After-Hours on call staff once the RMO Unit closes for the day
and their role is to continue to source cover. This team then hands over to the District Duty
Managers where required once their on-call shift ends. Please refer to
Appendix Two.
The position descriptions provided for the RMO Daily Operations position and the RMO Daily
Operations Coordinator position contains information on duties associated with the regional after-
hours bureau. Please refer to
Appendix Two.
Are there any formal agreements, policies, or memoranda of understanding that outline the
division of responsibilities?
There are no formal agreements, policies, or memoranda of understanding that outline the division
of responsibilities regarding the relationship between RMO Office/NRA and Locum Bureau as they
are in the same service, however accountabilities are outlined in position descriptions. As detailed
in the response to the previous question there is no separate locum bureau that is responsible for
shift coverage across the three Auckland metro Districts. Shift coverage is overseen by the RMO
Unit for inlier services. See
Appendix Two for further details.
What specific functions are performed by each (e.g., shift allocation, vacancy tracking,
financial approvals, payroll processing)?
There is no locum bureau and separation of functions.
5. Shift Allocation and Commission:
Does the locum bureau receive any commission, bonuses, or other financial incentives for
filling vacant. If so, how is this structured (e.g., per shift, percentage-based, performance-
based)?
There is no locum bureau. RMO Unit staff do not receive any commission, bonuses, or other
financial incentives for filling vacant shifts.
What criteria are used to determine whether a shift is advertised through the locum bureau
or managed internally by the RMO office/NRA?
Please see response to Q4.
6. Transparency and Fair Access to Shifts:
What steps are taken to ensure fair access to locum shifts for RMOs?
The Daily Operations team identifies vacancies that require cover to maintain service levels.
Vacancies can arise for the following reasons; Roster vacancies where positions are unfilled for
part or all of a run, relief cover is unavailable to cover planned leave and short notice relief is
unavailable, or no cover is available for short notice leave such as sick or bereavement leave.
Where a vacancy exists, the Daily Operations team partner with the service to ensure the best
resourcing arrangements are available at all times and follows the agreed process to cover the
shift and where required escalate any vacant RMO shift to the Service for a contingency plan.
Please see Table D.
Table D – Daily Operation and Service Team’s Responsibilities
Daily Operations Team
Service
Responsible for:
Responsible for:
• Identifying and maintaining an up to date
• Advising Daily Operations of any immediate
record of vacant RMO shifts for inlier
cover options
services
• Approving locum or additional duties cover,
• Providing regular and timely updates to the
if required
affected service of any vacant RMO shifts
• Ensuring that contingency plans are in
• Advertising and sourcing cover for
place and communicated should a vacancy
identified vacancies
not be filled.
• Communicating cover arrangements or any
remaining vacancies
• Escalation of any vacant RMO shifts
• Supporting the service in developing and
implementing contingency plans for vacant
RMO shifts.
The Daily Operations Team advertise shifts via email and text. These are advertised to internal and
external RMOs. Internal RMOs are those coming into the run and those currently working within
the district External RMOs are RMOs not employed in any capacity within the Auckland metro
districts or who work for another district.
Are there any priority systems or ranking mechanisms for allocating shifts?
Cover for after-hours shifts (nights, weekends and long days) is often prioritised over shifts falling
within ordinary hours Monday to Friday due to the following. The clinical risk of a vacant shift is
higher for after-hours shifts due to the lower levels of staffing at these times.
Are there audit processes in place to ensure locum shifts are allocated fairly and equitably?
Please see response to Q6. A regional template has been developed to ensure a regionally
consistent approach for recording RMO shift vacancies. The purpose of the vacancy list is to
establish a clear overview of upcoming shift vacancies and cover arrangements in place, provide
regular updates to the services of upcoming shift vacancies, allowing for future planning, record
cover arrangements for shift vacancies and ensure RMO claims align with known shift vacancies.
The vacancy list also informs reporting to provide services with projected and historical vacancies
within the service.
How does the RMO office/NRA track unfilled shifts, and what actions are taken when a shift
remains vacant?
All uncovered shifts that cannot be covered by a reliever and require alternative arrangements are
captured on the vacancy list. Uncovered shifts are a result of the following but not limited to;
approved planned leave (e.g. Annual Leave, Medical Education Leave, STIL etc.), rostered days
off, night relief/rotator duties, roster vacancies, including resignations (noting, a reliever cannot be
used to cover roster vacancies), short notice unplanned leave e.g. sick and bereavement leave
and a RMO working reduced hours (due to pregnancy, reduced FTE etc).
For each identified vacancy, the following information is populated on the Vacancy List; all relevant
information about the shift, the reason for the vacancy, whether the shift is covered, whether the
service has been notified of the vacancy type of cover arranged, name of RMO covering the
vacancy and whether cover was shared e.g. SMO and House Officer jointly covering a Registrar
vacancy
The Vacancy List is maintained and updated daily following notification of short notice leave, which
is typically due to sickness or bereavement. See
Appendix Three for the process map which
details the process for managing and escalating vacant shifts as overseen by the RMO Unit for
inlier services.
The published roster forms the baseline for staffing requirements and the RMO Units work on
coverage for shifts in accordance with the process set out in
Appendix Three. Where RMO cover
cannot be sourced the service determines the contingency plan to be implemented based on a
number of differing factors that are associated with the service model of care.
7. Senior Management Intelligence & Decision-Making
Data Collection and Reporting:
What data and reports does the RMO office/NRA collect on RMO staffing, rostering,
vacancies, and workforce conditions?
RMO Workforce Operations maintain the HRIS/placement database that tracks the following
information for RMOs employed across the three Auckland metro Districts:
• Capacity Management
- RMO positions, establishment and cost centres
- RMO rotations and placements
- RMO position vacancies
• People Management
- RMO demographics
- RMO salary scale year, employment status and terms and conditions
- Work eligibility requirements and maintenance
- Qualifications and Training Programme Stage
• RMO Reimbursements
- Work related training expenses
- Medical indemnity insurance expenses
- MCNZ registration and practicing certificate expenses
- RMO transfer expenses not processed through payroll
Reporting is run to inform the following processes: onboarding compliance for new employees, on-
going work eligibility compliance for existing employee, run rotation and changeover for RMOs
(including information for payroll, occupational health, IT systems, security and the medical
education units), annual / ad-hoc recruitment and allocation for RMOs, service and District updates
on RMO position vacancies and roster design and writing.
How frequently is this data reported to senior management, and in what format?
The RMO Workforce Operations reports to a regional governance group on a monthly basis. This
governance group are responsible for setting the strategic direction, endorsing policy decisions (in
accordance with Health NZ delegation policy) and monitoring delivery of business activities as part
of the annual workplan. It comprises representatives from both Hospital and Specialist Services
(H&SS) and People and Communications (P&C) at each District as follows:
• Chief Medical Officers
• Directors Human Resources – Operations
• Regional Training Committee Chair
• General Manager representatives
Monthly reporting to the regional governance group includes the following:
• RMO Position vacancies by District and Specialty
- Prior month and forecast for next 3 months
• RMO Recruitment and Allocations
- Staff movements including new starters, exits (resignations and transfers) and
promotions
- Key points to note regarding recruitment and upcoming vacancies per specialty
• Other
- Summary updates on other key business activities for onboarding, work eligibility
compliance, rostering and change management, daily operations including reporting
on after hours cross cover breaches and employment relations.
Shift vacancies are not reported at a regional governance level, the focus for reporting at this level
is RMO position vacancies against approved RMO establishment. As previously stated, shift
vacancies are only recorded in the vacancy list for inlier services where the RMO Support Unit
provides daily operations administration and support.
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Group Director Operations (GDO) for the Auckland metro
districts are provided with an overview of shift vacancies for inlier services at their districts in
advance of key dates such as the last weekend of the run rotation, long weekends, peak exam
periods and during industrial action.
What key performance indicators (KPIs) are used to assess RMO staffing and shift
coverage?
There are no formalised KPIs, however reporting is provided at a senior leadership and
governance level in accordance with the response in the question above.
Are historical trends and patterns in RMO workforce shortages analysed and used for
workforce planning?
Yes. Trend data is used to inform future training year appointment numbers for RMO positions
across the three Auckland metro Districts (Auckland, Counties Manukau, Waitemata Districts).
8. Accuracy of Workforce Intelligence:
What mechanisms are in place to ensure that the intelligence provided to senior
management accurately reflects conditions on the ground?
Are there regular audits or cross-checks between RMO workforce reports and actual shift
coverage data?
Fortnightly system audits form part of the workforce operations workplan to ensure integrity of the
data held in the HRIS/Placement database. This involves a comprehensive set of audit checks to
review and identify inconsistencies to ensure reporting regarding RMO workforce demographics,
training placements and RMO position vacancies are accurate.
A full audit of the vacancy list is completed once rosters are published at each run rotation. On-
going weekly audits occur as part of publishing relief rosters by the Daily Operations Advisors and
as RMO claims are reviewed and processed. In addition to this, spot checks are also completed by
the Daily Operations Managers.
To note: this response does not include reporting that is run and managed locally at each District
outside of the RMO workforce operations team, such as the Health Workforce Information
Programme (HWIP) quarterly reporting.
How does the RMO office/NRA collect feedback from RMOs on the accuracy of workforce
reports?
Feedback is not collected on the accuracy of workforce reports from RMOs. Feedback is requested
from RMOs prior to the completion of each rotation via electronic survey, where feedback is
provided on their experience in the run including training, supervision and employment aspects.
Summary reports are provided to each district for review and action.
Complaints and Dispute Resolution
9. Handling of Complaints:
What is the process for handling complaints related to:
-
RMO staffing and workforce shortages
-
Shift allocations and rostering disputes
-
RMO office/NRA decision-making processes
Decisions regarding staffing establishment for RMO positions and how workforce shortages are
managed sit with each district in accordance with authorised delegations.
In general, other queries and issues raised about the RMO Support Service/NRA are managed by
the individual responsible for the specific portfolio within the RMO Workforce Operations team. The
first point of escalation is to the individuals direct report (Team Leader or Manager). Where matters
are not resolved at the Manager level, this is then escalated to the Portfolio Manager Workforce
Operations. Dependent on the nature of the query / issue this may also involve ER / IR advice,
there is discussion with the relevant Service representatives, and / or where appropriate Senior
Management for the District.
How many formal complaints have been received in the last three years
regarding:
-
Shift allocations
-
Locum shift availability
-
RMO workforce conditions
The information you have requested regarding formal complaints in the last three years, which
covers complaints in the districts is not held centrally by Health NZ. In order to find and collate the
information you have requested; Health NZ would need to divert personnel from their core duties
and allocate extra time to complete this task. The diversion of these resources would impair Health
NZ’s ability to carry out our other core functions. As such, I am refusing these parts of your request
under section 18(f) of the Act, as they require substantial research collation and research.
We have considered fixing a charge or extending the timeframe for response but do not believe
that either option would remove the impact this would have on our other operations.
Resolution Process:
What is the average timeframe for resolving complaints related to workforce planning and
shift allocation?
As a general principle where concerns / issues are raised we work to resolve these as soon as
practicably possible. There can be delays particularly where these are impacted by staff turnover
and unplanned absences, or peak periods of work e.g. annual recruitment cycle, roster publication
and run changeover. Response timeframes may also be impacted where escalation is also
required to District representatives for input / decision dependent on their availability.
The information you have requested regarding average timeframe for resolving complaints which
covers complaints in the districts is not held centrally by Health NZ. In order to find and collate the
information you have requested; Health NZ would need to divert personnel from their core duties
and allocate extra time to complete this task. The diversion of these resources would impair Health
NZ’s ability to carry out our other core functions. As such, I am refusing these parts of your request
under section 18(f) of the Act, as they require substantial research collation and research.
As before, we have considered fixing a charge or extending the timeframe for response but do not
believe that either option would remove the impact this would have on our other operations.
What escalation pathways exist for RMOs if they are dissatisfied with the handling of a
complaint?
The final escalation pathway related to RMO Workforce Operations matters will be to the Portfolio
Manager Workforce Operations. Dependent on the nature of the complaint this may then include
ER / IR advice, discussion with the relevant Service representatives, and / or where appropriate
Senior Management for the District.
In addition to this, the RMO may escalate to their union representative for independent advice who
may then contact the employer on their behalf where appropriate.
What steps are taken to address systemic issues identified through complaints?
A review is undertaken to identify where improvements can be made and to determine if process
has been followed. This may also include additional training with staff where knowledge gaps are
identified and where system controls cannot be put in place, whether further checks are required to
minimise errors noting the manual nature of a number of systems.
Leave, Compensation, and Workforce Trends
11. Leave and Absences:
How much annual leave, sick leave, and unpaid leave has been taken by RMO office/NRA
staff in the past three years?
The table below shows the total hours of Annual Leave, Sick Leave, Unpaid Leave and Parental
Leave processed through payroll over the 2022, 2023 and 2024 calendar years.
Please note the following;
• Unpaid leave hours include leave without pay, unpaid sick leave and unpaid ACC
• Sick leave hours include absences related to sickness, COVID special leave, as well as
employees that have been on ACC
• Annual leave hours include both annual leave and my days which are 3 additional days of
leave that some staff employed on Individual Employment Agreements are eligible for over
the Christmas – New Year period
• Parental leave has also been provided as a number of staff have been away on parental
leave over the three year period requested
Table E – RMO office/NRA Staff Leave
Leave Type
2022
2023
2024
Annual Leave
9,731
7,829
8,026
Sick Leave
2,832
3,316
2,400
Unpaid Leave
206
732
1,864
Parental Leave
3,656
1,976
5,277
Grand Total
16,424
13,853
17,567
Has there been an increase or decrease in annual leave uptake over this period?
For the calendar years 2022, 2023 and 2024 the annual leave hours over the employee group
were;
• 9,731 hours over 65 employees
• 7,829 hours over 58 employees
• 8,026 hours over 61 employees
The higher number of exits in the 2022 calendar year will have contributed to the higher number of
annual leave hours paid.
12. Workforce Stability and Staff Turnover:
What has been the turnover rate for RMO office/NRA staff in the past three years?
Staff turnover for the past three calendar years has been as follows:
• 2022 – 25 employees exited
• 2023 – 19 employees exited
• 2024 – 18 employees exited
This exit information excludes staff who were seconded into roles within Health NZ during this
period but does include staff that have transferred to other roles within Health NZ (or the legacy
District Health Boards). It also includes staff that were appointed into roles for a finite purpose on a
fixed term basis.
Are exit interviews conducted for departing staff, and if so, what are the common reasons
cited for leaving?
Exit interviews are not mandatory for departing staff but are made available on a voluntary basis
and at the discretion of the employee.
Over the past three years, six departing staff elected to complete an exit interview. The common
reasons cited for leaving included new career opportunities / advancement, pay and workload.
13. Impact of Staffing Shortages:
How does the RMO office/NRA handle situations where key administrative roles are
vacant?
Cover is provided internally and workload distributed across the remaining team. Allocation of
duties is overseen by the relevant Team Leader / Manager and where appropriate temporary
resource may be engaged e.g. if vacancy is a result of parental leave, then the position may be
filled on a fixed term basis.
Have there been instances where staff shortages within the RMO office/NRA have
impacted shift allocations or rostering decisions?
There is no direct impact on the principles that inform these processes, but there may be indirect
impacts by way of increased errors given systems are manual and spreadsheet driven, or longer
decision making timelines, as staff work across different portfolios.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Health NZ may proactively
release a copy of this response on our website. All requester data, including your name and
contact details, will be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Danielle Coe
Manager (OIAs) – Government Services
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
