Ron Ealam: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Ron Ealam, from Oxford in Canterbury has received the New Zealand Order of Merit for his work with Land Search and Rescue, for more than 50 years!
And for half of that he's been working with rescue dogs - developing the official search dogs training programme and he's become a national trainer and assessor.
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RNZ News
an hour ago
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Hospital staff concerned about combined cleaner-security officer roles
Photo: LDR Combining the roles of cleaners and security guards into one job at two rural Waikato hospitals has left staff worried about their own safety and that of patients. And the scheme's cost savings haven't been as much as predicted. These are among findings in a report obtained by Checkpoint about the introduction of the scheme - which Health New Zealand calls integrated cleaning, attendant and security services - at Te Kuiti and Tokoroa hospitals. It was previously introduced in Thames and Taumarunui hospitals. As Checkpoint revealed last month, the combined roles began a year ago and Health NZ did a post-implementation review in April. It found while the cleaning side of the arrangement is going well, hospital staff say they're not getting the level of security services required and they hold safety concerns. Staff said security officers-cleaners from a cleaning background weren't trained for the job, and that the two jobs conflicted, meaning pre-emptive action during an escalating situation was impossible if a worker was away cleaning. A rural Waikato nurse, who RNZ has agreed not to name, said she wanted the jobs to separate again. "I'd like for them to listen to us and hear our cries for help," she said. "We've put in complaints and concerns about our security issues and how we feel the security guards are actually unfit to proceed with the job they're meant to be doing, or they aren't doing their job." Although some were reliable, she said staff held concerns about others. RNZ has previously reported that at Te Kuiti Hospital one cleaner-security officer is on duty overnight, with two nurses. The Waikato nurse said it was impossible to expect the cleaner-security officers to be in two places at once. "I don't think [cleaning] should be a role integrated with security. It literally makes no sense. They've got nothing to do with each other. It just baffles my mind. "It's like making someone who works at a gas station pump gas but also pack your groceries all at the same time. Why would you do that?" The Health NZ report said the move was partly about cost efficiency. It was expected to save $207,300 in its first year, but only shaved $137,300. The reports cited some benefits, such as flexibility of work roles, lower costs and consistency among the rural Waikato hospitals, but recommended improving security after deficits were identified. Among the "lessons learned" was the definition and responsibilities of the new roles weren't clearly stated or understood. It also recommended consideration of a future review, which the nurse hoped would be more thorough. "Pretty much every nurse that I work with does not like it. It doesn't function as well as they think it might," she said. "Reading the report, I feel like there were actually quite a few issues that weren't mentioned that I remember writing as a response to the questions [when staff were surveyed]." That included the preference to break up the jobs. The report said there was a perception there wasn't enough communication and consultation before the change. The nurse agreed. "It's pretty much someone sitting at a desk and saying: 'We can do this.' They talk about how they should have gone to us and given us more information beforehand instead of just springing it on us. "Yes, we definitely agree [this] needed to be done. There needed to be more notice, but also I think there should have been: 'This is the job we're thinking of putting in. Do you think it's going to work?'" Now, if the security officer-cleaner wasn't around when an incident unfolded, medical staff had to try to make it to a phone to call for help, leaving a potentially unsafe situation. The report said staff were issued with personal duress alarms, although it noted there was limited staff understanding of this, and the devices weren't maintained or used. There were also security improvements made to the hospitals, such as clearing vegetation. The E Tū union represents hospital workers such as security officers and cleaners. Its director responsible for health, Mat Danaher, said not having enough staff, and inadequate facilities, due to a lack of funding meant the combined roles didn't have a chance. "What happens if you've got one operative who's supposed to be doing an urgent clean to make something safe and in the meantime a fight's breaking out and you need two people to go and help deal with that? "It can't be done and I think that's what we're seeing the effect of here." No one was happy with the current arrangement, he said. "It's a matter of time before someone dies - we have a death that could be prevented. That's literally what we're talking about. "It is a life and death matter." Health NZ senior manager Stephanie Doe said it was committed to providing an environment where staff and visitors felt safe, and it received advice from its national chief security adviser on improvements to the rural Waikato arrangement. The review was of the scheme's implementation, not the model itself, and its roll out had achieved its objectives, she said. There hadn't been any recent significant security incidents at Waikato hospitals. "At Te Kuiti and Tokoroa, security staff are onsite 24-7, including within the vicinity of ED [the emergency department] and ward at night. We encourage staff faced with a hostile situation to call police."
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Property where Elisabeth 'Lis' Nicholls found had been empty for years
Flowers and candles laid on the driveway of a property on Gracefield Avenue, where police found a body believed to be that of Elisabeth Nicholls. Photo: RNZ / Anna Sargent Christchurch police have confirmed a body found at a property in the central city on Sunday is missing woman Elisabeth Nicholls. The 79 year old, who suffered from dementia, walked out of the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Riccarton on the evening of 4 June, only hours after being admitted for respite care. On Sunday, Nicholls' body was discovered by police in Gracefield Avenue, just 250 metres from her home. She was formally identified on Monday. Gracefield Ave residents told RNZ they were shocked. Mora Dickson, who lived a few doors down from where Nicholls was found, said people had not been out and about much because of the cold weather. "It's a surprise. I wish I'd seen something," she said. She said the property Nicholls was found at had been empty for years. The Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village was run by Ryman Healthcare. In a statement, Ryman chief operating officer Marsha Cadman said the company was supporting its residents and team members in the village and continuing to liaise with police. "Ryman, along with our Margaret Stoddart Village team, are terribly saddened by the news that a body has been found in the search for Elisabeth Nicholls. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Elisabeth's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time," she said. The company would work with Health NZ to look into what happened, a Ryman spokesperson said Elisabeth Nicholls. Photo: Supplied Nicholls was referred to the village for respite care by Health NZ. "Our contracts with them set out the level of care to be provided. Margaret Stoddart Village provides only rest home level care, whereby residents are able to come and go independently. This is not a dementia care facility," the spokesperson said. In a statement, Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu regional commissioner Chiquita Hansen said the agency acknowledged the past few weeks had been a distressing time for Nicholls' loved ones. "We will work with Ryman to look into what happened, which is standard practice, but for now our priority is working with Police and family at this difficult time," she said. Nicholls arrived at the retirement village on the morning of 4 June and was last seen at 6.01pm. "At 6.20pm, team members at the village became aware that Elisabeth may have chosen to leave, on what was her first night at the village, and immediately commenced a search of the premise," Ryman said. "A village search was undertaken including a search of each room, shared space and the rest home grounds, followed by contacting next of kin. As is standard protocol, if a resident is still unable to be located following this process, we then contact police." The last confirmed sighting of Nicholls was over an hour later at the Chateau on the Park Hotel in Riccarton, about 500 metres from the retirement village. Following her disappearance, police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers scoured areas of the city to find Nicholls. Pleas were made for the public to check their backyards and anywhere she might have taken refuge. In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved she had been found on Sunday. The family was very grateful for everyone's efforts in looking for her, particularly police and members of the Christchurch public. Detective Sergeant Luke Vaughan said on Sunday he hoped the discovery would help provide some closure for her family and loved ones. The death would be referred to the coroner.
