Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS)
Working for better health care in New Zealand
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) – Toi Mata Hauora represents the professional and industrial interests of senior salaried doctors and dentists around New Zealand. Most of our members are employed by district health boards in New Zealand's public hospitals but some also work in hospices, union health centres and other places. Our membership also includes salaried GPs.
ASMS promotes the right of equal access for New Zealanders to high quality health services, articulates our members' professional concerns, advises members on employment-related matters, negotiates collective employment agreements on behalf of ASMS members, and supports workplace empowerment and distributive clinical leadership.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) - Latest News [Page 1]
Health New Zealand’s Fixing Bid Fails
Friday, 28 November 2025, 5:56 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
Health NZ alleged the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists had breached the obligations of good faith such that the authority must fix the terms and conditions in place of bargaining. More >>
Senior Doctors' Union Condemns Puberty Blocker Ban
Friday, 21 November 2025, 12:26 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
"It is completely inappropriate for the Government of the day to be determining treatment options for our patients," ASMS president Dr Katie Ben says. More >>
Working Age New Zealanders Overall Health Declining - ASMS Report Shows
Monday, 6 October 2025, 1:38 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
The report analyses health data gathered as part of the New Zealand Health Survey and uses values from Treasury to estimate the increased costs that result. More >>
Health New Zealand Offers Pay Cuts Amid Workforce Crisis
Thursday, 18 September 2025, 4:48 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
Health NZ refuses to recognise a full year of delay to the bargaining process due to its inability to come to the table with a pay offer. More >>
Senior Doctors To Strike For 48 Hours In September
Monday, 8 September 2025, 11:30 am | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
ASMS members will maintain life preserving services during the strike. These plans will be negotiated over the next five days. More >>
Government Just Guessing When It Comes To Health - Report Says
Monday, 8 September 2025, 7:31 am | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
The New Zealand’s health financing and expenditure report reveals that for the past seven years the Ministry of Health has not submitted data to the OECD leaving the organisation to estimate our spending and the estimates are incorrect. More >>
Minister's Intervention In ASMS' Bargaining Unlawful - Union Says
Friday, 5 September 2025, 2:55 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
Collective bargaining is a process governed by law and the parties to collective bargaining have specific rights and responsibilities. The Minister seems unaware of this fact. More >>
Health New Zealand Undermining Doctors’ Rights In Bargaining
Wednesday, 13 August 2025, 1:02 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
"Health New Zealand has made no effort to support senior doctors and dentists to attend union meetings, in direct contravention of our collective employment agreement," ASMS Executive Director Sarah Dalton says. More >>
Nelson Hospital Review Fails To Hold Leadership To Account - ASMS Says
Wednesday, 23 July 2025, 3:49 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
"The review lacks timeframes, holds no leaders to account for these failures. Just last month Nelson Hospital was again in the news for booking "ghost clinics" in what appears to be an attempt to game the system in regard to first specialists’ appointments ... More >>
Senior Medical And Dental Officers 24-hour Strike In Te Tai Tokerau
Monday, 16 June 2025, 8:04 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
This district strike is part of an ongoing industrial dispute. More >>
Budget 2025 - What Vote Health Needs Just To Stay Afloat
Tuesday, 20 May 2025, 1:03 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
"Year on year specialists in our public hospitals are being asked to do more and more," says ASMS policy director Harriet Wild. More >>
Te Whatu Ora’s Failed Pay Offer Cements Strike Action For Senior Doctors
Monday, 28 April 2025, 2:21 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
"On an annualised basis, Te Whatu Ora’s offer would increase pay by 0.77 per cent," ASMS executive director Sarah Dalton says. More >>
Staffing Shortages Putting Patient Safety At Risk At Nelson Hospital
Friday, 28 February 2025, 3:45 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
An email sent to clinicians earlier today advised between 1600 and 2200 the hospital will have no medical registrar. Nelson’s emergency department is staffed to see 70 to 80 patients a day, but they regularly see more than 100 a day. More >>
Te Whatu Ora’s Workforce Plan Expects Everyone To Settle For Less
Tuesday, 10 December 2024, 6:02 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
Te Whatu Ora’s 2024 Workforce Plan is laced with political double-speak which cannot mask the fact our health system is being asked to do more with too few resources. More >>
Doctors, Nurses, Practice Owners And Their Professional Bodies All Urge The Minister To Pause Over Physician Associates
Thursday, 17 October 2024, 2:00 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
"There is no task that a physician associate would potentially perform, that is not already being undertaken by a currently regulated health worker who is already trained and employed here in Aotearoa," says ASMS Executive Director Sarah Dalton. More >>
Senior Doctors Support Buller March To Fix Health System
Saturday, 28 September 2024, 1:41 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
What is happening in Buller is happening across the country and communities need to stand together to ensure they get safe, equitable and fit-for-purpose health care not delivered through a telephone line. More >>
Health Budget Just Treading Water
Monday, 17 June 2024, 1:52 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
Deeper analysis of the 2024/25 Health Budget reveals just a 0.4 per cent real-terms increase in operational health funding, far short of what is needed to address systemic staffing issues or achieve ambitious health targets set by the Minister of Health. More >>
Budget Leaves Health System Struggling To Keep Up
Thursday, 30 May 2024, 3:23 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
The budget will keep the public health sectors lights on, barely, and does not address increasing unmet need, longer waiting lists and over-stretched staff. "This budget falls short," ASMS Executive Director Sarah Dalton says. More >>
Critical Condition Of Emergency Departments Harming Whole Health System
Friday, 3 May 2024, 6:20 am | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
Driving the increases in serious acute admissions is New Zealand’s growing unmet health need - 34.3 per cent of New Zealanders have unmet health need due to wait times, cost or distances to travel. More >>
Luxon’s Health Targets Delusional Without Workforce Measures
Wednesday, 10 April 2024, 2:43 pm | Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
"Staff shortages are a factor, both in longer stays in ED and wait times for elective procedures." More >>
