It would mean increasing the number of Māori nurses entering the workforce from 300 a year to almost 1650. Photo:
Aotearoa needs five times more Māori nurses to reflect the Māori population and deliver culturally safe health care, a new report shows.
The report, 'Growing, but not fast enough: Māori nursing workforce insights', commissioned by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) and written by Infometrics, was released on Thursday at the Indigenous Nurses Aotearoa Conference in Rotorua.
Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa NZNO kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said the country would need about 1350 more Māori nurses a year for the next decade to reach population parity.
"That would mean increasing the number of Māori nurses entering the workforce from the current 300 a year to almost 1650 - a five-fold increase," she said.
"This is an intense number and shows the intense need we have to ensure Māori get the culturally safe and appropriate nursing they need. Research shows culturally safe nursing is key to achieving better outcomes for Māori."
According to the report, Māori currently make up 18 percent of the New Zealand population but just 7.4 percent of the nursing workforce.
It also revealed that Māori are dying seven years earlier than non-Māori
The report found that 27,000 Māori nursing enrolments would be required to meet demand, as less than two-thirds of Māori nurse trainees complete their qualification. In 2023, 3230 students enrolled in registered nurse training, but only 435 were Māori.
"I'm so concerned about the future of Māori health - this country's health. These numbers are so intense and would appear like mission impossible under this Government. But it is our duty to call for what is best for the health of our people," Nuku said.
Kerri Nuku, kaiwhakahaere for the Nurses Organisation says the country needs about 1350 more Māori nurses a year for the next decade to reach population parity. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Nuku said Māori nurses played a crucial role in improving health outcomes.
"The report also confirms for us what we've always known - Māori nurses are more likely to help keep Māori out of hospital by identifying the risk of preventable illnesses, enabling early intervention and saving the health system money."
Around 300 Māori nurses are expected to gather on Thursday for the Indigenous Nurses Aotearoa Conference in Rotorua.
This year's conference theme is Mauri oro, mauri reo, mauri ora, which organisers said speaks to a return to "vibration, voice and wellbeing through the lens of mātauranga Māori".
The Akenehi Hei award will be presented on Friday, and the Tapuhi Kaitiaki Awards, the Māori nurses award, will be held that evening.
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