Doctor to Disillusioned - A Generation Walks Away
Dr AO made this Official Information request to Simeon Brown
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From: Dr AO
Dear Simeon Brown,
This request is submitted by on behalf of some of the future doctors of Aotearoa - graduates from the University of Auckland and the University of Otago (Classes of 2020 - 2024), who are current junior doctors and, with a more sustainable and responsive health system, future senior doctors of New Zealand.
We are agreeable for certain parts of this request to be transferred to the Ministry of Health, Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ), University of Auckland, and University of Otago, if these organisations are better placed to respond to specific questions. For any transfer of this request, we ask that this be done within the initial 20 working day timeframe.
We do not consent for this OIA to be responded to as general correspondence. This request must be answered within the provisions of the Official Information Act. We are agreeable to an extension of the standard 20 working day timeframe (as per guidance from the Ombudsman) to a maximum of 3 months from the date of this initial email being sent to you - Minister of Health Simeon Brown - in line with the resignation notice period under NZRDA and STONZ contracts. This applies to all agencies receiving or responding to this request, except in the case of MCNZ, which is not subject to the Official Information Act. We still welcome their cooperation and request that they respond in good faith within a reasonable timeframe.
Under the Official Information Act, please provide:
1/ The total number of RMOs (House Officers and Registrars) currently employed by Health New Zealand.
2/ Of these RMOs, the total number who are New Zealand medical graduates, with breakdown by:
- University of graduation (University of Auckland and University of Otago)
- Graduating year (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024)
- The total size of each graduating medical cohort from the University of Auckland and the - University of Otago for the classes of 2020 - 2024.
2/ For each graduating year (2020 - 2024), the attrition rate during medical school, broken down by the specific medical school year students left.
3/ The total number of resignations of RMOs received by Health New Zealand from graduates of the classes of 2020 - 2024, including breakdown by:
- Graduating year
- University of graduation
- Stage of junior doctor journey at resignation (PGY1, PGY2, PGY3, PGY4, PGY5)
- Job title at resignation (House Officer, Senior House Officer, Non-training Registrar, Training Registrar)
- For Registrars, their field of specialty
4/ For each graduating year (2020 - 2024) and university (Auckland and Otago), the median and mean cost per medical student, including both tuition fees paid by the student and the government subsidy or funding provided per place.
6/ What is the current business plan or strategy - if any - held by Health New Zealand, the Ministry of Health, MCNZ, the University of Auckland, or the University of Otago regarding the long-term retention and sustainability of the junior doctor workforce? Please include any modelling or estimates on the cost of losing junior doctors to roles outside of Health New Zealand (e.g. private sector, overseas, or non-clinical roles).
Please note: For the graduating classes of 2021 and 2022, due to COVID-19 disruptions, a number of doctors formally graduated in 2022. In these cases, we request that the data be categorised by the date of graduation ceremony rather than graduation year.
Yours faithfully,
Dr AO
MBChB
From: Simeon Brown (MIN)
Simeon Brown
Thank you for contacting the Hon Simeon Brown, Minister of Health,
Minister for State Owned Enterprises, and Minister for Auckland.
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From: Simeon Brown (MIN)
Simeon Brown
Dear Dr AO,
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request, received on 4th May, in which you requested the following information:
"1/ The total number of RMOs (House Officers and Registrars) currently employed by Health New Zealand.
2/ Of these RMOs, the total number who are New Zealand medical graduates, with breakdown by:
- University of graduation (University of Auckland and University of Otago)
- Graduating year (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024)
- The total size of each graduating medical cohort from the University of Auckland and the - University of Otago for the classes of 2020 - 2024.
2/ For each graduating year (2020 - 2024), the attrition rate during medical school, broken down by the specific medical school year students left.
3/ The total number of resignations of RMOs received by Health New Zealand from graduates of the classes of 2020 - 2024, including breakdown by:
- Graduating year
- University of graduation
- Stage of junior doctor journey at resignation (PGY1, PGY2, PGY3, PGY4, PGY5)
- Job title at resignation (House Officer, Senior House Officer, Non-training Registrar, Training Registrar)
- For Registrars, their field of specialty
4/ For each graduating year (2020 - 2024) and university (Auckland and Otago), the median and mean cost per medical student, including both tuition fees paid by the student and the government subsidy or funding provided per place.
6/ What is the current business plan or strategy - if any - held by Health New Zealand, the Ministry of Health, MCNZ, the University of Auckland, or the University of Otago regarding the long-term retention and sustainability of the junior doctor workforce? Please include any modelling or estimates on the cost of losing junior doctors to roles outside of Health New Zealand (e.g. private sector, overseas, or non-clinical roles).
Please note: For the graduating classes of 2021 and 2022, due to COVID-19 disruptions, a number of doctors formally graduated in 2022. In these cases, we request that the data be categorised by the date of graduation ceremony rather than graduation year."
Your request will be answered within the provisions of the Official Information Act.
Kind regards,
Georgia Carr
Private Secretary Administration | Office of Hon Simeon Brown MP
Member of Parliament for Pakuranga
Minister of Health | Minister for Auckland | Minister for State Owned Enterprises
Email: [email address] Website: www.Beehive,govt.nz
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
show quoted sections
From: Dr AO
Dear Georgia,
Thank you for confirming receipt of the Official Information Act request submitted on 4 May and received by your office on 5 May 2025.
While the request uses the collective "we" to reflect shared concerns among doctors, I confirm that this request is submitted by me in my personal capacity as an individual.
To avoid any ambiguity, please confirm that the following conditions - outlined in the original request - are understood and will be upheld by all relevant agencies:
1. We consent to parts of this request being transferred to other agencies where appropriate (e.g. Health New Zealand, the Ministry of Health, MCNZ, the University of Auckland, and the University of Otago).
2. While section 14 of the OIA states that transfers should usually occur within 10 working days, we explicitly consent to transfers taking up to 20 working days from the date of receipt (5 May 2025), provided this supports a coordinated and complete response. Please ensure any transfer occurs within this 20 working days window.
3. We do not consent to this request being treated as general correspondence. It has been submitted under the Official Information Act and must be handled as such by all agencies subject to the Act.
4. We also consent to extending the response timeframe to a maximum of three months from 5 May 2025 (i.e. until 5 August 2025) across all agencies involved. This aligns with the resignation period under NZRDA and STONZ collective agreements. Although MCNZ is not subject to the OIA, we welcome their participation and respectfully request they respond in good faith and within a reasonable timeframe.
We’d appreciate a brief reply confirming that these conditions have been noted and will be followed.
Yours sincerely,
Dr AO
MBChB
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