Health New Zealand has confirmed Starship children's hospital in Auckland has rescheduled some child cancer treatments due to nursing staff shortages.
Starship's director of medical and community Dr Greg Williams said "paediatric haematology/oncology service is managing nursing staff shortages at a time of high demand and clinical complexity," he said.
"As a result of these shortages, we have had to reschedule some treatments, to ensure our services can still be delivered safely, within capacity, while remaining within reasonable timeframes."
Williams said the decisions were "not made lightly and are based on clinical need".
"We want to reassure parents and families that their children will get the clinical care and support they need... Patient safety and high-quality care is always our highest priority."
He added that the hospital was "recruiting experienced and new graduate nurses as quickly as possible".
"We recognise and greatly value the extraordinary commitment and contribution of our teams who come to work each day to care for kids and their families."
In a statement, Health Minister Simeon Brown said: "I expect affected children to be seen as soon as possible while Health New Zealand recruits to fill the vacant positions."
His office later also said "no child has had their cancer care suspended, and no child has missed out on care".
"A handful of chemotherapy sessions have been delayed by a few days, and never by more than seven.
"Two bone marrow transplants have been moved slightly from their original dates. This happens from time to time even when Starship is fully staffed, and both are still going ahead.
"Two patients from outside of Auckland were transferred to Christchurch for assessment, which is how New Zealand’s national child cancer network is designed to work."
The spokesperson added that there was no hiring freeze at Health New Zealand, and that "vacancies are the result of natural attrition, such as parental leave and retirement".
"Paediatric oncology is highly specialised work, so these roles need nurses with specific skills and experience. Graduate nurses are a valued part of the workforce, but they cannot always simply be placed into complex specialist roles," the spokesperson said.
Labour's health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said the delay to child cancer treatements "show just how severe the crisis has become".
"For two years the Government has denied there has been a hiring freeze at Health NZ, while nurses have reported severe shortages and that they’re denied permission to fill vacant positions," she said.
"Today’s news that children’s cancer treatments have been delayed show just how severe the crisis has become.
"Labour will end the hiring freeze and guarantee every eligible graduate nurse a job so New Zealanders get the care they deserve," she said.
Treatment uncertainty 'deeply unsettling' - Child Cancer Foundation
Child Cancer Foundation chief executive Monica Briggs acknowledged "how incredibly difficult the childhood cancer journey is, even in the best of circumstances and how deeply unsettling any uncertainty around treatment can be for families".
"We also recognise the extraordinary work of the healthcare professionals who care for these children and families, in increasingly challenging circumstances," she said in a statement.
"While clinical decisions and hospital operations sit with health providers, our commitment to families remains unwavering. We will continue to provide practical and emotional support - drawing our families closer at this time.
"Our purpose has always been to ensure no family faces childhood cancer alone. Now, more than ever, we want families to know that we are here, we care deeply, and we will continue walking alongside them every step of the way."
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