Fears of an increase in nurses' salaries will put health care workers and addictions on the sidelines

With a strike that hits headlines while nurses are demanding better wages, other health care workers are paying close attention.

But for some, it is with a hint of bitterness

Up to 30,000 nurses left work last week during the first national nurses strike in three decades

. It is time for nurses and district health boards to think carefully before resuming negotiations.

A representative of community mental health and addiction providers, Platform Trust, believes that better wages for primary health care nurses

CEO Marion Blake said that salary increase for nurses could put mental health and addiction workers away

"We are going a step further, so nurses are going to want more money. we compete with community services and secondary services, such as hospital services. "

Ms. Blake was referring to the sector's victory last month, when mental health and addiction workers were finally included in care and support. The $ 173 million funding meant that 5,000 employees would receive between $ 120 and $ 200 more per week in their pay.

She said it was an exciting time because before, people had left the labor market en masse. "

" Support workers would say things like, "Why should I go past three nursing homes to get a mental health job, when I could go to the first one and get another $ 6 an hour?"

Growing Needs mental health workers have been well documented and the government's plans for the sector are clear.

His policies include mental health workers in four decile secondary schools, and a pilot The government also opened the country's first specialized prison to deal with mental health problems – requiring about 50 new mental health specialists mental health – and promised to fill the gaps in the country's DHB workforce. [19659018] "Peop"

Ms. Blake was happy to hear that, but she said the reality was that the workforce situation was disastrous.

"You talk to a young man from Wellington trying to get into a mental health department. Or someone in Vic [Victoria] who is fighting at the university, the list of waiting to see a counselor out there is amazing – it's about three or four months ", said Mrs. Blake

"People can not afford to see a psychologist,"

Nigel Sutcliffe is a school counselor who is preparing to complete his bachelor's degree in counseling. studies, he said that there was no great financial prospects.

Some councilors and support workers were paid minimum wages, but for all others this varied considerably.

"It can go from volunteer koha to $ 50 or $ 100 if you're lucky, and it's a private practice. While if you go out as a qualified counselor, you only earn one job with an average income of about $ 44,000. "

Dr. Clark said that it was one of the great challenges that the government had inherited.

" I sent clear signals that mental health is a priority for the government, and that the parties within the government have been campaigning to better fund the health sector, "said Dr. Clark

." We want to increase the health workforce and we want to make sure that people get the public services they expect and deserve – and we are taking steps to ensure that

The government is conducting a mental health survey and will not make any significant decisions until the report falls on the Minister in October.

The investigation committee is currently on the road. the country about what works, wha this is not the case and what could be done better.