Fury as New Zealand hospital bans staff from not speaking English

Staff at a hospital in New Zealand have expressed their fury at a memo to all staff about how they speak to patients.

Staff at a hospital in New Zealand have expressed their fury at a memo banning them from speaking non-English, including Maori, languages at work.

The missive was sent on Friday to nursing staff at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, on the country’s North Island, and obtained by Radio New Zealand (RNZ).

“Concerns have been raised across the nursing workforce within the hospital setting, about the variety of spoken languages being used in the clinical setting,” the memo, co-signed by Waikato Hospital Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Sue Hayward, and Director of Quality and Patient Safety, David Bunting, read.

“It is timely to be reminded that English is the spoken language in the clinical setting.

“Each nurse is required by Nursing Council New Zealand to achieve competency both in the written and spoken language of English.

“Consistent use of one language reduces the possibility of missed care, misunderstanding of clinical requirements and enhances safe team work.”

The note sent by Te Whatu Ora to Waikato staff. Picture: NZ Herald

The memo “acknowledged” that Te Reo (Maori) or sign language could be “used” in other settings “where decision making, planning treatments and evaluating interventions are not the prime purpose of that interaction”.

“However in the clinical setting, English language both spoken and written, supports clinical safety and, as such, the expectation is this will be adhered to,” it concluded.

A doctor who saw the memo told RNZ it was clearly aimed at Indian, Filipino and Pasifika nurses – healthcare “heroes” who were now being victimised.

“We all know in between the lines that this is mostly directed against our most vulnerable employees in the workforce who sometimes speak some words in their own language while working under extreme pressure to manage our overburdened wards,” the doctor said, calling the email “quite concerning, frankly, sick”.

“Instead of being recognised as heroes in our healthcare system, they have to deal with this piece of cr*p from some apparently useless TWO managers.

“Frankly disgusting and so (much for) Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) embracing multiculturalism.”

Waikato Public Hospital. Picture: rnz.co.nz

Te Whatu Ora only recently employed thousands of extra nurses from Asia to bolster the workforce amid staff shortages.

Its group director of operations, Michelle Sutherland, told RNZ the memo was sent to nursing staff to “help reduce confusion”, adding that speaking English in a clinical environment was a Nursing Council requirement and standard practice.

English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language are all recognised as official languages by the Nursing Council, Ms Sutherland said.

She maintained that Health New Zealand encourages bilingualism to “support culturally responsive care”.

“We have recruited a significant number of internationally qualified nurses, and we are extremely grateful for the contribution they make to our workforce,” Ms Sutherland said.