Nurses and supporters protest at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, 30 July 2025. Photo: Libby Kirkby-McLeod
The health minister criticised the striking nurses, saying more than 1500 surgeries had been disrupted.
Nurses across the country have gone on strike, picketing outside hospitals demanding more staff to ease what they say is critical understaffing.
Health New Zealand is asking emergency departments (EDs) to be kept for emergencies only in response.
More than 500 nurses and supporters were picketing on both sides of the street outside Waikato Hospital, in Hamilton, as part of nationwide industrial action.
More than 36,000 nurses are holding a 24-hour strike over stalled pay talks and concerns about the level of staffing on shifts not being safe for patients.
Chief executive Dale Bramley said hospitals were always busy at this time of year due to winter illness, and the strike would put extra pressure on teams and facilities.
"That is why we need to keep EDs for emergency care only."
Nurses and supporters protest at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, 30 July 2025. Photo: Libby Kirkby-McLeod
He said patients in EDs triaged as being non-urgent could face significant delays in being seen, and advised people requiring non-emergency care to contact their GP or call Healthline first.
Health NZ said all emergency departments would remain open and hospital patients would receive safe care. It said patients should attend scheduled outpatient appointments or treatment unless told otherwise.
Health Minister Simeon Brown criticised the striking nurses.
"These are patients who have been waiting far too long, who have now been told they have to wait longer. That is the unfortunate reality of what the nursing union has decided to do by striking today," Brown said.
He thanked the nurses who showed up to work, and implored the union and Health New Zealand to get back to the negotiating table.
Brown said the retention rate was higher than it previously was, and the pay offer nurses had got compared favourably to other recent public sector settlements.
Responding to questions over nurses' concerns of under-staffing, Brown claimed the union wanted to "take control" of rostering.
"That is the responsibility of Health New Zealand, not the union, to control the rostering system."
Kate Dallas protests at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, 30 July 2025. Photo: Libby Kirkby-McLeod
Kate Dallas, who has worked at Waikato hospital for 35 years, said she had never seen such a bad situation with so much understaffing, and nurses were feeling desperate.
She said at the moment, nurses could not see a way out of the problem.
Nurses then packed out an overflowing rally at Hamilton Gardens to hear from New Zealand Nurses Organisation chief executive Paul Goulter.
Speaking to RNZ, Goulter said Health NZ acting chief clinical officer Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard repeatedly ignored questions about funding issues. He said the government must stump up more money to restore safe staffing levels to hospitals.
Nurses Goulter spoke to were frustrated, angry and distressed, saying the government was not taking adequate staffing seriously.
Nurses protest about dangerous staffing levels, at the Hamilton Gardens on 30 July, 2025. Photo: Libby Kirkby-McLeod / RNZ
Nurses and supporters protest at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, 30 July 2025. Photo: Libby Kirkby-McLeod
Protesters also lined State Highway 1 in Dunedin, prompting honks of support from passing cars and fire engines as they waved placards saying "health Care is still in crisis" and "better funding = better patient care".
Nursing student Bailey said there were not enough nurses being hired and it was putting staff and staff at risk. She was watching her future colleague trying to juggle providing care to patients and teaching student nurses without being properly supported.
One enrolled nurse said not having enough staff meant some patients were having their surgeries delayed or not receiving the quality of care they deserved.
Nurses and supporters protest in Dunedin, 30 July 2025. Photo: Tess Brunton / RNZ
Nurses' Organisation delegate Robyn Hewlett, an enrolled nurse on a busy surgical ward in Dunedin Hospital, said they could be two nurses short for some shifts, and daily calls were put out to fill staffing gaps.
Hewlett said it could cause delays to surgeries and patients receiving care.
Some patients have to fast all day only to have their surgery postponed that night, she said. They will potentially get a meal before they need to start fasting again, which can happen for days in a row.
Robyn Hewlett. Photo: Tess Brunton / RNZ
Te Arohanui Ngarimu has been working as a nurse for over 20 years, and told RNZ she was worried about the risks to staff and patients due to under staffing.
"We are really stretched because we're short and it really affects our health, because we just keep running and we're not an Eveready battery."
Ngarimu said when she began nursing, she felt more supported and could deliver better patient care.
Nurses striking in Napier, 30 July 2025. Photo: Alexa Cook / RNZ
There were also protesters in Wellington and Napier.
Protesters in Wellington, 30 July 2025. Photo: Samuel Rillstone / RNZ
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
