Medical Locum Jobs in New Zealand - Nursing
Working in NZ
Working in New Zealand is not complicated if you are an Australian or hold an Australian passport. Pay rates both hourly and daily do vary depending on the locum position, as do paperwork and registration requirements however our team are on hand to assist and step you through the process in the least time. Give us a call and talk to us about what plans may have and how you can achieve them. Below is a summary of information on the structure of the public and private health sectors in New Zealand including information on living in New Zealand.
New Zealand Public Health System Structure
The Minister of Health (with Cabinet and the government) develops policy for the health and disability sector and provides leadership. The Minister is supported by the Ministry of Health and its business units, and advised by the Ministry, the National Health Board, Health Workforce New Zealand, the National Health Committee, and other ministerial advisory committees.
Most of the day-to-day business of the system, and around three quarters of the funding, is administered by district health boards (DHBs). DHBs plan, manage, provide and purchase health services for the population of their district to ensure services are arranged effectively and efficiently for all of New Zealand. This includes funding for primary care, hospital services, public health services, aged care services, and services provided by other non-government health providers including Māori and Pacific providers.
Important roles in providing services and ensuring efficiency and quality are undertaken by public health units, primary health organisations, non-government organisations, Crown entities, health professionals, and professional and regulatory bodies for all health professionals - including all medical and surgical specialist areas, nurses and allied health groups.
There is a range of educational and research institutions involved in the provision of services and training of the workforce. There are also many consumer bodies and non-government organisations that provide services and advocacy for the interests of different groups, and more formal advocacy and inquiry boards, committees and entities.
The Ministry of Health has a range of roles in the system in addition to being the principal advisor and support to the Minister. It funds a range of national services, including disability support and public health services, and has a number of regulatory functions.
Accident services are funded by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
This network of organisations is linked through a series of funding and accountability arrangements to ensure performance and service delivery across the health and disability system.
Private Health Care
There’s a wide network of private hospitals and clinics throughout the country that provide services including elective procedures and general surgery, and specialist procedures such as cardiothoracic operations for those with private healthcare and insurance. There are also private radiology clinics and testing laboratories.
The cost of private healthcare is not funded by the government, but a number of insurance companies offer healthcare cover. Many New Zealanders take out private health insurance. Some employers offer health insurance as part of the remuneration package. Policies range from basic care to comprehensive cover, and the premiums vary accordingly. As a guide, a comprehensive plan for a non-smoking person in their 30s is currently (as of November 2009) around $1400 a year.
An important point to note is that people who have private health insurance are still entitled to free public health services.
Living in New Zealand
With a temperate climate, and stunning variations in our geography - all surrounded by the PacificOcean and Tasman Sea – people in New Zealand happily lead an outdoor life. Knowing that you'll spend far less time commuting in New Zealand than in most world cities, you'll also enjoy far more time with your friends and family. No matter where you live in New Zealand, for instance, you are probably less than an hour from the ocean, and less than 4 hours from a ski field. Which means on the same day you can mountain bike, snowboard and surf!
At the same time, cafe society and cultural activities rival those anywhere. New Zealand has produced some of the world's top opera singers, musicians, writers, painters - all of whom are easily accessible for your enjoyment. New Zealand cuisine and regional wineries are well-regarded internationally - so you'll have plenty to tempt your taste buds.
With just over 4 million people living in New Zealand, it's easy to find - or get away from - the crowd. So if your preference is access to big-city shopping, check out Auckland (the largest city with over 1.5 million residents), Christchurch, Wellington (the capital) or Dunedin. But one of the joys of New Zealand is that you can also choose to live a more rural lifestyle, and still live within an hour's drive of the centre of any of these cities. Or you can choose to settle in the country - there's plenty of room for expansion here!
We can give you information on facilities, travel, activities and other options should you be traveling with family to your locum.
