Rowan Quinn for RNZ
New guidelines for health workers' access to masks and other protective gear are being criticised as more about rationing than caring for staff.
The Ministry of Health has just released new advice, working with the main health unions after complaints from frontline workers that they were being stopped from wearing masks.
Health staff should now be able to wear protective gear if a patient's Covid-19 risk is unknown, the guideline document said.
That did not mean, however, all health workers needed to wear a mask at all times and the valuable supply must not be wasted, it said.
Nurses Organisation kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said the advice did not focus enough of the wellbeing of staff.
"It seems to be motivated by a more rationing of PPE gear as opposed to giving reassurance that it is freely accessible to members should they request it and should it be needed," she said.
Nurses and health care workers, whether working in the community or in DHBs, were at the coal face of the virus and needed to feel safe and valued, she said.
The organisation asked the government and DHBs 10 days ago to adopt a package of measures to guarantee frontline healthcare workers were looked after.
It included better protective equipment, accommodation for those working in high risk areas, childcare and counselling if needed.
Nuku said the requests had largely been ignored and she was incredibly disappointed.
RNZ
