Workforce Projects and Initiatives

The Workforce Information and Projects Team manages and supports a range of projects, programmes and initiatives across New Zealand’s 20 District Health Boards (DHBs).

Kiwi Health Jobs

Stay informed about the best healthcare jobs in New Zealand with Kiwi Health Jobs. If you are looking for a job in health, your search starts with us! We manage Kiwi Health Jobs on behalf of the 20 DHBs nationwide and the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS).

Kiwi Health Jobs provides a single platform where you can find all jobs advertised by publicly funded health providers and subsidiaries.

New job opportunities are added to Kiwi Health Jobs daily. From hospital jobs to community roles, we cover the full spectrum of clinical and non-clinical vacancies throughout New Zealand.

As well as access to a wide range of jobs, Kiwi Health Jobs provides:

• Information highlighting particular occupations that are in demand nationally

• Useful links to information for people considering a new career within the health sector

• Information and links to the ACE scheme which provides entry level employment within the DHBs for recent Medical and Nursing Graduates

• Access to useful information about living in New Zealand, immigration and professional registration requirements.   

Talent and Leadership

The 20 DHBs are introducing the State Services Commission (SSC) Leadership and Talent Programme.  This initiative is being undertaken in partnership with the SSC and the Ministry of Health.

DHB Chairs and Chief Executives have endorsed the framework, acknowledging the leadership qualities required to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders are not unique to health.  

A Shared Approach to Developing Our People
The National DHB Talent Management and Leadership Development Group have developed a Guide to support implementation in DHBs.

For more information, contact:

Brenda Hall
Programme Manager
Email: brenda.hall@tas.health.nz

Wellbeing for Health

We support the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) and their union partners to deliver Wellbeingforhealth.nz - a joint initiative which provides an easy to use hub for tools and resources related to workplace wellbeing in the New Zealand health sector.

Key Focus Areas For Wellbeing
Promoting the positive drivers of workplace wellbeing is a key priority for DHBs and union partners. There is a collective commitment to creating environments which enable people to thrive and be their best.

Key focus areas for wellbeing include:

• Tikanga (Culture and values)

• Kōrero (Communication & Engagement)

• Better work practices

• Ᾱrahitangi (Leadership)

• Personal Wellbeing.

We are committed to setting an example of positive wellbeing - for people to live well, stay well and get well.

Wellbeing for Health poster
The poster showcases the website tools and resources available - and describes how you can use these to support the wellbeing of the health workforce and help people to live well.

Sonographer Workforce Development

We manage the Sonographer Workforce Development Programme (SWDP), which was established by the 20 New Zealand DHBs in 2015.

The programme aims to support the development of a stable and sustainable sonographer workforce to meet present needs and future demand. The national SWDP Group provides oversight and coordination for the implementation of actions to progress sonographer workforce development.

It is widely acknowledged that the New Zealand sonographer workforce has been under pressure for a while. Key issues include: 

• Comprises a small and vulnerable workforce
• The inadequate size of the trainee pipeline
• Capacity to supervise trainees
• Working with the private sector
• High numbers of unfilled vacancies
• Difficulties recruiting nationally and internationally
• Increased service demand which is predicted to continue growing both in volume and complexity.

Progress made
Over recent years, the SWDP Group has made significant progress and delivered in a number of key priority areas, including:

• The implementation of resources to support developing supervision capability and collaborative training arrangements
• Supporting overseas recruitment
• Developing mechanisms to provide reliable workforce data and information increasing national connectedness and collaboration.

The SWDP Work Programme

The SWDP work programme comprises activities related to focus areas which are likely to make the most impact on sonographer workforce development.

There continues to be a need for the national SWDP group, as the 20 DHBs’ sonographer workforce remains under pressure nationally with ongoing supply issues.

DHBs are still carrying significant vacancies and it is challenging to recruit when there are simply insufficient candidates - with a very small pool of sonographers available.

This means that DHBs are carrying long-term vacancies and it puts considerable pressure on service delivery.

Membership of the SWDP Group And Their Terms Of Reference

SWDP Terms of Reference

Resources to support developing supervision capability and collaboration

DHB Sonographer Workforce Information

We produce workforce data, intelligence information and trend reporting about the DHB sonographer workforce.

This information is used to monitor and understand the DHB sonographer workforce, and to inform evidence-based workforce development and planning. 

SWDP Newsletters

Working as a Sonographer in New Zealand

Are you or someone you know interested in working as a sonographer in New Zealand?

We have opportunities for experienced sonographers to join our teams across the country - from the winterless north through to the beautiful south. You can start your search now at kiwihealthjobs.com.

For more information about Sonographer registration in New Zealand, check out the Medical Radiation Technologists Board’s website.

For more information, contact:

Kamini Pather
Workforce Specialist
Email: Kamini.Pather@tas.health.nz

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