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October FAQs

Still having problems with reimbursements taking longer than 6 weeks? It's essential you let us know - we as a union have worked hard to develop pathways for resolving this once and for all but we rely on you as our membership letting us know where this is happening so we can sort it out. Has your roster been published within 28 days? STONZ has a documented process outlined in our agreement to escalate instances where rosters are not published with 28 days. This is so we can identify systematic ...

We’re Hiring

Have you ever considered what it might be like working for a union? Well now is your chance! I can say all the usual things that are often listed in recruitment ads like, work for a great team, flexible working hours, competitive pay, have your birthday off etc, but that should all be a given (and we are  a great team by the way), so what makes us different? One, we’re a non-for-profit with the aim to protect and improve the training our junior doctor workforce in Aotearoa. Two, you’d ...

October 2022 STONZ Update

How is it October already? Kia ora everyone, and thanks for taking the time to read our update. Some of the feedback we’ve received from members recently is that you’d like more frequent communication and hear more about what STONZ, and the team have been up to. The executive team going forward are going to write a short ‘Blog’ each month and post on our website, this will be in addition to our quarterly newsletter (next one coming soon!). So, what have we been up to? The last couple of...

Health NZ / Hauora Aotearoa

With the 1st of July fast approaching there have been a few questions about what this means for RMOs. Health NZ have been sending regular updates and many DHBs have been doing the same, but we’ve taken some of the key messages and included them here. If you’d like to sign up for regular updates directly from Health NZ, you can do so HERE. Will my reporting line change?Health NZ have formally communicated with the small number of people who will have a reporting line change on 1st July. For e...

Signing out as Treasurer - Blair York

One phone call from Heath Lash and Earle Savage in mid-2019 has certainly lasted longer than expected. Back in 2019, STONZ was very much a fledgling union and the current treasurer was stepping down so Earle and Heath asked me to step in for a few months to help out. I had some concerns as I was about to head into my fellowship exam, but I was reassured it wouldn’t be too much work. Walk into 2020 and bang Covid-19 arrives. I don’t think my inbox has ever been so busy; Zoom meetings, Conting...

Want to Join the Executive Team?

Hopefully you will have all received the email we sent last week advising of the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). At the AGM, we are proposing some changes to the team following the departure of Blair York, the current STONZ treasurer. Because of this we are now accepting nominations to fill the House Officer Representative role (this is an Executive Committee position).  If you are interested in this role, please email support@stonz.co.nz and we will provide information about the pr...

The Fatigue Working Group Update

The Workforce Fatigue survey conducted by the Fatigue Management and Minimisation Steering Group (joint project with STONZ, other healthcare unions, Health NZ and Massey University), has now closed, and we want to thank all of you who took the time to participate. Your contribution helps us to have a better understanding of the prevalence and spectrum of fatigue staff are experiencing and ultimately to assist us to develop ways to better manage it. We’re really pleased with the 16,205 response...

Introducing STONZ new Research & Delegate Representatives

We are excited to announce that Chantelle Petterson has been appointed to the role of Delegate Representative at STONZ. The role of the Delegate Representative is to provide leadership across the delegate network and work to better understand the role of the delegates and how we can better support them, so they in turn can better support our membership. Chantelle is currently working as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) non-training registrar at Waikato Hospital. ...

Holiday’s Act – What is it and how will it impact you?

The Holidays Act 2003 covers pay and entitlements for employees in New Zealand about all types of leave and public holidays. For those employees who work shift work, variable days and hours, or with flexible work patterns including RMOs, calculating holiday pay has been more complex. This has resulted in widespread non-compliance. Essentially, employers (not just limited to DHBs) have unintentionally been underpaying or overpaying staff what they’re entitled to. The areas requiring remediation...

June 2022 Update

It’s been another hectic few months in the health sector, with COVID-19 and now the winter flu season continuing to cause havoc for front line staff. We have seen Health NZ (new name to be announced on July 1st), starting to take shape however, as a new entity must now turn to addressing the huge staff shortages across the motu due to a number of factors including sickness, resignation and general attrition as the borders reopen. These challenges have added to what is already a pressure filled...

Getting to know the support team

Kate – Executive Director Hi, I’m Kate and I’ve been with STONZ for almost three years now. When Heath Lash first spoke to me about working for STONZ, there were about 600 members and to be honest I wasn’t sure about working for a union as I hadn’t had the best experiences in the past. But my arm was twisted and it’s amazing to see how far the union has come in such a short time, I enjoy the fresh approach, and it’s been an awesome opportunity to be part of helping to grow and supp...

Importance of a leave plan

It’s really important to plan ahead and have a plan to take leave throughout the year. Even if it’s a day or two at home to tick off some ‘life admin’ or catch-up on some rest and read a good book or Netflix and chill. While the borders are slowly opening up and we’ll soon be able to travel internationally again, sometimes a short break locally or somewhere else in Aotearoa can be just as good to refill your cup, or re-charge your batteries. STONZ Appendix 3 of the MECA, outlines the B...

Coast to Coast – Working, Studying and Training!

This year I was fortunate enough to compete in and complete the Coast to Coast one day multisport race. A bucket list event for me and something I couldn't have done without the solid support of friends and family. As it took me 10 hours or so per week training, doing it as a SET 4 trainee certainly raised some eyebrows. However, a wise person once said to me; "if you really want to do something, do it when you’re busy or risk not doing it at all", so, I bit the bullet and went for it. Here ar...

April - General Update

Across Aotearoa we have seen a slight easing in pressure on services with fewer COVID-19 positive admissions and more manageable staffing levels in some areas which has been a welcome change, particularly for the northern region. However, we have continued to see pressure on our teams as the ‘peak’ of this outbreak moved its way down the country with Canterbury and Southland recently experiencing the highest number of cases in those regions to date. We want to thank each and every...

Annual General Meeting (AGM) & why you should dial in

One of the earliest motto's from STONZ, was that we are a union for Junior Doctors, by Junior Doctors.  What does that really mean? The way our union is structured means that our Executive team are ultimately responsible for the running and the success of the union. They are involved from an operational perspective with things such as approving the annual budget, providing clinical advice for difficult situations, overseeing the Support team and regularly attending local, regional and natio...

Want to join the STONZ team?

STONZ are a non-for-profit incorporated society, with the sole aim of supporting Junior Doctors and advocating to improve working conditions for all RMOs. In order to do this, we have a simple governance structure and our aim is to ensure that our executive team positions are always filled by doctors.  As the union continues to grow, and in order to better support the executive team, we are now looking to fill two roles; one looking after the Research portfolio and another to advocate and w...

A Pandemic Fellowship

After a covid disrupted year in 2020 with lockdowns and delayed exams surely 2021 would be a new year and a nice way to put covid behind us, right? With excitement for the journey ahead our family of 4 headed to Melbourne for my fellowship. Within 3 days of arrival there was an outbreak in Auckland and because that was our exit port we were required to isolate and get a test – all negative – but a sign of things to come! The first 4 months were fantastic with almost no restrictions and in re...

Run Reviews & Admin Time

Our team regularly supports members and DHBs with Run Reviews, and there are many planned for 2022. One of the challenges is that it is difficult to get completed timesheets from RMOs. A reminder that Run Reviews processes will go ahead regardless of how many RMOs participate so it is really important that if you are asked to fill out timesheets that you do. Whilst we absolutely appreciate that it’s an extra task that you really don’t need, by not participating you risk having an outcome tha...

Project Update

The Fatigue Working Group was unfortunately put on hold due to the Omicron outbreak but we have recently resumed meetings and the next part of the project will be to send a snapshot survey to all those working in health, with the aim of establishing a baseline understanding of our fatigue challenges, the system drivers and how staff feel. The working group is hoping to achieve ethics approval this month so that the survey can be sent in May 2022. The survey aims to cover all workforces, not just...

MPS, Indemnity and COVID-19

If you are asked to perform a duty that you would not normally undertake, regardless of the circumstances you need to assess whether you have the skills and competency to proceed. This will include considering what is in the best interests of the patient. If you do not feel it is safe to proceed and that to do so would place the patient at greater risk of harm than not undertaking the duty that has been requested, then you should advise whoever has asked you to do so and explain your concerns. ...