Key Takeaways
- A massive IT outage at hospitals in Auckland and Northland was caused by cuts to Health NZ’s digital team, according to the Public Service Association (PSA)
- The outage lasted for over 12 hours, affecting several hospitals and preventing clinicians from accessing patient information
- The PSA is calling for the government to review funding for digital health services and admit its mistakes in cutting digital services expertise
- The incident is the second major digital disruption to affect New Zealand’s healthcare system in less than a month, following a hack of the online portal Manage My Health
- The PSA warns that the cuts to digital services will have tragic consequences if not addressed
Introduction to the IT Outage
A recent IT outage at hospitals in Auckland and Northland has been blamed on cuts to Health NZ’s digital team, according to the Public Service Association (PSA). The outage, which lasted for over 12 hours, affected several hospitals and prevented clinicians from accessing patient information, blocking communications and causing chaos among staff. The PSA’s national secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, described the situation as "complete chaos" as staff were forced to use paper-based systems and whiteboards to manage patient care.
Impact of the Outage
The outage had a significant impact on hospital operations, with staff forced to use manual systems to track patient information and communicate with each other. An internal memo sent to hospital staff advised them to use whiteboards and paper tracking forms, and to be careful when handwriting blood tube labels. Lab results had to be phoned through to areas and then sent on paper via the Lamson (pneumatic tube) systems. The PSA’s members were among those affected, with many forced to use pen and paper to manage patient care during the outage. The situation was further complicated by the fact that the outage occurred during a critical period, when timely access to patient information is essential.
Response from Health NZ
Health NZ’s executive director for the northern region, Andrew Brant, confirmed that the outage had affected several hospitals in the region, including those in Te Tai Tokerau, Waitematā, Auckland, and Counties Manukau. He stated that the outage lasted for around 12 hours, with services restored to all impacted hospitals in the early hours of the morning. Brant also assured that patient care continued safely during the outage, and that an incident debrief was being conducted to identify opportunities to improve the system. However, the PSA has expressed concerns that the cuts to Health NZ’s digital team have compromised the ability of the healthcare system to respond to such outages, and that the situation will only worsen if not addressed.
Broader Implications
The IT outage is the second major digital disruption to affect New Zealand’s healthcare system in less than a month, following a hack of the online portal Manage My Health. The PSA is warning that the cuts to digital services will have tragic consequences if not addressed, and is calling for the government to immediately review funding for digital health services and admit its mistakes in cutting digital services expertise. The union’s concerns are not limited to the immediate impact of the outage, but also to the long-term consequences of underfunding and understaffing the digital team. According to the PSA, workers in data and digital at Health New Zealand are deeply frustrated, having seen cuts forced upon their workforce and experts lost who could have helped in these crises.
Call to Action
The PSA is urging the government to take immediate action to address the digital health crisis. Fitzsimons stated that the government must admit its mistakes in cutting digital services expertise and review funding for digital health services. The union is also calling for the government to invest in the digital team and provide the necessary resources to prevent such outages in the future. The PSA’s warnings are not just about the immediate consequences of the outage, but also about the potential long-term consequences of neglecting the digital health system. As the healthcare system becomes increasingly reliant on digital technology, the need for a robust and well-funded digital team has never been more critical. The government’s response to this crisis will be closely watched, and the PSA will continue to advocate for the necessary investments to ensure that the healthcare system is equipped to provide safe and effective care to patients.