15 Dec 2018

DHB not filling 58 vacancies to save money

10:57 am on 15 December 2018

Middlemore Hospital is keeping 58 administration jobs unfilled as it struggles to save $18 million this year.

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The Counties Manukau District Health Board said not filling those jobs would save it $2.2m a year.

None of the deliberately-unfilled jobs are in medical services.

By contrast, it is trying to recruit for those services but is struggling, especially in anaesthesiology, radiology and mental health.

The Counties Manukau DHB has already been forced to give up on $5m of expected savings.

The board said it had not reduced the overall $18m target in line with its financial commitment to the Health Ministry.