A patient at Waitākere Hospital who demanded white-only nurses and racially abused staff was eventually refused care, leading to hospital management stepping in to address the situation, The New Zealand Herald has reported. The incident occurred over a period of six weeks, with over 30 staff members signing a cease-work order in July after enduring continuous verbal abuse from the patient. This drastic action prompted hospital managers to intervene, implementing a stronger management plan to resolve the issue.
The patient, a Pākehā male, targeted Pacific Island and Filipino staff with racist remarks and made sexually inappropriate comments. Despite staff filing incident reports, the abuse persisted. Nurses were initially told to leave the patient’s room for five minutes before returning, but this did little to stop the harassment.
New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) delegate Ben Basevi explained that the situation became so severe that staff were advised to stop working until hospital management took further action. The hospital ultimately warned the patient that continued abusive behavior could result in discharge or referral to the police. This measure finally defused the situation.
The incident at Waitākere follows another controversial case at North Shore Hospital, where hospital leaders allowed a patient to request no Asian staff during surgery, sparking outrage among workers and union condemnation.
Health NZ has since responded by stating that robust protocols are in place for handling such situations, but Basevi challenged this, arguing that national guidelines on dealing with racism in healthcare are lacking. While some hospitals, like Auckland Hospital, have detailed processes, Basevi noted that there is no consistent national approach for managing racial discrimination against staff.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) executive director Sarah Dalton expressed concern that Health NZ is “lagging behind” in ensuring culturally safe workplaces for healthcare workers. She called for stronger structures to swiftly address issues of racism in the healthcare environment.
In response, a Health NZ spokesperson said the organization regularly manages patients with complex needs and has systems in place to protect staff and ensure patients receive appropriate care. The spokesperson emphasized Health NZ's commitment to providing a safe work environment, free from aggression, violence, and racism.
While the Code of Consumers’ Rights allows patients to express preferences for their healthcare providers, Dalton pointed out that this provision was likely intended for specific situations like intimate examinations, not for accommodating racist demands.
Basevi confirmed that the patient involved in the Waitākere case was mentally competent, and his condition was taken into account when devising a plan to address the issue.
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