Extra funding to boost the security of emergency room staff ran out last week - but nurses say more guards at the door was never going fix the underlying issues of staff safety.
The new government stumped up $5.7m for an extra 200 security guards to work at hospitals around the country over the summer months.
That ended on February 29 and its effectiveness is now under review by Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand.
Assaults in hospital settings jumped from just over 1100 in 2021 to 5000 reported incidents last year.
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels talks to Kathryn.
Photo: RNZ
