Archive: this concerns reporting from October 2024, not a new incident.
A patient’s request to avoid Asian healthcare staff at North Shore Hospital was initially accepted, according to KanNZ’s account of a New Zealand Herald investigation.
An affected employee raised concerns with the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. The union’s executive director, Sarah Dalton, criticised how the hospital handled the situation and questioned whether staff had received adequate support.
Health New Zealand declined to discuss individual details and withheld associated information on patient-privacy grounds. Its response said staff should be able to work safely without facing violence or racism and should be able to raise safety concerns.
The dispute concerned the handling of one reported request. It does not establish that the same arrangements remain in place today.
Archive summary based on KanNZ’s 7 October 2024 account. Original reporting: Nicholas Jones, New Zealand Herald, 4 October 2024. English summary prepared on 12 October 2026.
