A patient requested not to receive care from staff of Asian ethnicity, a demand that was initially accommodated by management, causing distress among hospital employees.
Health New Zealand has declined to release details of the incident, citing the patient’s privacy, but a major health union confirmed the event to legacy media, which took place at North Shore Hospital.
Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS), criticised the hospital’s response, telling legacy media that it failed to support staff and was not “culturally safe”. Dalton also accused management of attempting to prevent staff from discussing the matter with the union, raising further concerns about the employer’s handling of the issue.
Health New Zealand refused an Official Information Act request for further details, but emphasised its responsibility to care for all patients under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights.
While patients have the right to express preferences about their care providers, the unions involved argued that racial discrimination is inappropriate and should not be accommodated. Both ASMS and E tū union representatives condemned the decision, calling on Health NZ to ensure a safe working environment and reject any requests rooted in racism.
Well, shows what idiots people can be. Asian are usually some of the most educated and high achievers. I would love to have an Asian nurse or doctor assist me.
I lived several years in China, as a culture they’re quite abrupt, plus they’re all only children and not very empathic (generalisation). Last time I was there, after 75 years of communism, I couldn’t find anyone I liked, sadly.
In this instance it is probably Filipina nurses, as they make up a pretty sizeable proportion of the hospital staff these days.
I bet if they had said that same thing about a Maori medical profession treating them the response would have been a lot different. Rasism is racism no matter how look at it if the facts presented here are factual.
My gut feeling is that it was a Maori doing the complaining.
And that is why it was “initially accommodated” by woke management.
People should have an inalienable right to choose what healthcare they want and from WHOM, no matter how “racist” it may be perceived. Patient choice and consent should be top priority, no matter how much we may disagree with it. The principle is far too important to waive away due to feelings (we saw more than enough of that unacceptable BS with the MRNA “product” in 2020-2021).
Some white people may prefer a white doctor, some Māori may prefer a Maori, some Asians may prefer an Asian 🤷🏼♂️
People are allowed to ascribe to their own traditions, their own cultures, their own medicine etc. Doesn’t automatically make them guilty of racism and “hate”.
If the government wants to have this great big multi-culti “melting pot” they always fawn over so insufferably, then they have to be prepared to respect people’s personal choices. Racial and ethnic incompatibilities are going to be inevitable unfortunately, and while I’m not in favour of segregation, I’m EVEN LESS in favour of government-forced ANYTHING, especially when it comes to health care. Forcing someone to have a doctor they don’t want/trust will only damage the healthcare system even further.
Yes absolutely… thank you for your thoughtful & mature comment.
The article doesn’t mention how old the patient is / was, but maybe he’s a Veteran of the wars in SE Asia, and seeing Asians at his bedside triggered off PTSD???
Or…maybe he had a bad experience with an Asian population somewhere in his travels…
Not enough info on the reason for the choices.
This would set a bad precedent if a person is allowed to request certain racial help in a hospital setting. The solution is long term, is to stop rampant immigration and look after kiwi health staff better.
>”The solution is long term, is to stop rampant immigration..”
You’ll find the Loch Ness monster before you find anyone in government willing to oppose the holy sacrament of mass immigration.
Usually the hospital will say “Take it or leave it, this is what we have.”