HNZ00088571 Response.pdf

17 June 2025
Nancy Peters
[FYI request #30764 email]
Tēnā koe Nancy
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00088571
Thank you for your email on 21 May 2025, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for the
following under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the OIA):
"I am writing to request the following information regarding General Medicine at Auckland
City Hospital (Te Toka Tumai Auckland), as of 17 April 2025 - the date you, as Health
Minister, publicly stated that senior doctors receive an average total remuneration of
$343,500.
1. The total number of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) employed in General Medicine.
2. The number of these SMOs who are members of the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS).
3. A breakdown of the General Medicine SMO workforce by Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)
status, and ASMS salary step
4. The average salary per General Medicine SMO, calculated per doctor (not per FTE).
5. Any existing strategies, business cases, or workforce planning documents that address
how Auckland City Hospital intends to recruit and retain experienced General Medicine
SMOs, particularly in light of trans-Tasman competition. Notably, the ASMS has highlighted
that senior doctors at the top end of the salary scale in New Zealand are being paid less
than their counterparts at the bottom end of the New South Wales scale.
6. Any strategies or policy documents outlining how Te Whatu Ora or Auckland City
Hospital intends to retain senior registrars in General Medicine, particularly those
approaching fellowship, to ensure they remain in the New Zealand health system rather
than taking roles overseas."
Response
Please note this response as requested, is specific to the Health NZ district of Auckland. Further
information on how Health NZ provides public health services at a national, regional and local level
is available on our website: https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/corporate-information/about-us/map.
For clarity, I wil  address each part of your request in turn.
1. The total number of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) employed in General Medicine.
2. The number of these SMOs who are members of the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS).
As at 17 April 2025, there were 30 Senior Medical Of icers (SMOs) employed in General Medicine
at Health NZ Auckland. 29 of which were members of the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS).

3. A breakdown of the General Medicine SMO workforce by Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)
status, and ASMS salary step
Please refer to the below table for a breakdown of the General Medicine SMO workforce as
requested.
Table One: Health NZ Auckland General Medicine SMO workforce by ASMS salary step and
contracted FTE.
ASMS Salary step  Contracted FTE
1
0.99
3
0.55
4
1.00
5
2.88
6
1.02
7
0.75
8
1.32
9
0.36
10
1.25
11
1.55
12
1.38
13
2.24
14
2.59
15
6.00

4. The average salary per General Medicine SMO, calculated per doctor (not per FTE).
I can advise that the average total salary package for a General Medicine SMO at Health NZ
Auckland is $291,312 (including allowances and superannuation).
5. Any existing strategies, business cases, or workforce planning documents that address
how Auckland City Hospital intends to recruit and retain experienced General Medicine
SMOs, particularly in light of trans-Tasman competition. Notably, the ASMS has highlighted
that senior doctors at the top end of the salary scale in New Zealand are being paid less
than their counterparts at the bottom end of the New South Wales scale.
Health NZ Auckland does not currently have a General Medicine SMO vacancy. However, there is
a commitment to creating and maintaining a collegial and supportive environment including well-
being initiatives within the General Medicine Service led by the Head of Department.
6. Any strategies or policy documents outlining how Te Whatu Ora or Auckland City
Hospital intends to retain senior registrars in General Medicine, particularly those
approaching fellowship, to ensure they remain in the New Zealand health system rather
than taking roles overseas.
Within the General Medicine service at Health NZ Auckland up and coming vacancies are
proactively signalled to senior registrars and there is proactive engagement in alerting them to
employment opportunities.
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. Al  requester data, including your name and
contact details, wil  be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā

Danielle Coe
Manager (OIA) Government Services
Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora.

TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand