Health NZ chief writes to staff about ‘English only’ memo and confirms guideline also in place at second hospital

“I will be sending a message to staff this afternoon to ensure that, where it is clinically safe and appropriate for patients and working in teams, they exercise their professional judgment on the appropriate language to use.

“They are professionals and we trust their judgment.”

The Herald is also aware of a similar directive in an Auckland hospital. Hospital staff, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not allowed to speak to the media, said they had been told to speak only English in clinical areas and maintain other languages ​​in staff-only areas.

A staff member at the Auckland hospital said they first became aware of this directive two years ago, and staff were reminded of it again about three months ago.

Apa said it was important that everyone involved in a patient’s care could clearly understand what was being discussed and participate in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning.

”This communication can be in English, or in another language. The most important point is patient safety.

“Whilst we accept that staff may wish to speak in their preferred language as part of everyday informal conversations, we expect healthcare professionals to use their judgment when this is clinically safe and appropriate in relation to patient care.”

Minister supports non-English speakers

Earlier today, Health Minister Dr. Shane Reti that nurses should be able to speak a language other than English with their patients.

The minister said the matter had been discussed with Te Whatu Ora this morning and he expected them to take his position into account.

“My view is that if nurses want to speak their first language with each other and/or with patients where they feel it is clinically safe to do so and use their clinical judgment, they should be able to do so.”

The Waikato Hospital memo said concerns had been raised about the use of other languages, and that the exclusive use of English in all clinical settings was safer for treating people.

A doctor who saw the memo told RNZ it was clearly aimed at Indian, Filipino and Pasifika nurses.

Reti said nurses were required to speak English, but if nursing staff felt it was appropriate and clinically safe to speak to each other and to patients in their native language, “then they should be able to do so”.

He confirmed that the memo was not a government directive.

The memo, sent by Waikato’s head of nursing and midwifery and director of quality and patient safety, said “it is time to be reminded that English is the spoken language in the clinical setting”.

“Every nurse is required by the Nursing Council New Zealand to acquire competency in both the written and spoken language of English. Consistent use of one language reduces the likelihood of missed care, misunderstandings about clinical requirements and improves safe teamwork.”

The memo also says that this has been recognized in other settings where decision making, treatment planning and evaluating interventions are not the primary purpose of using interactions, te reo or sign language.

“But in the clinical setting, the English language, both spoken and written, supports clinical safety and as such it is expected that this will be met.”

Te Whatu Ora Waikato told RNZ the memo was sent to nursing staff to “help reduce confusion” because speaking English in a clinical setting was standard practice and a requirement of the Nursing Council.

The Nursing Council recognized English, te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language as official languages ​​- and they were acceptable in “many other contexts” and Health New Zealand strongly encouraged bilingualism to “support culturally responsive care”, the report said.

Labor Party health spokeswoman Dr Ayesha Verrall has called for examples of nurses speaking languages ​​other than English, causing patient safety issues.

“I am also concerned that this is an exaggeration and may not recognize the value that speakers of other languages ​​have to our healthcare system. We are now an incredibly diverse community – we actually need people who can talk to patients who speak Chinese, Indian languages ​​and Filipino, for example.

“We need to make sure we value all healthcare workers. Recent events suggest that we have not got that balance right and I am thinking in particular of the exclusion of our Asian staff from someone’s surgery at North Shore Hospital.”

Last week the Herald reported Asian staff on a surgical team at North Shore Hospital were replaced following a request from a Pākehā patient undergoing surgery.

The request was granted and resulted in the replacement of Asian personnel who would otherwise have been involved in the operation.

The Herald was told that there was no suggestion that the order was to protect the staff involved from possible violence or verbal abuse.

The episode was condemned by healthcare leaders and caused significant fallout, with the approval of the request angering and disturbing some hospital staff.

Julia Gabel is a political reporter from Wellington. She joined the Herald in 2020 and most recently focused on data journalism.