The Inside Scoop on Health Jobs
What are Health Jobs?
Health jobs touch on every point in the lives of New Zealanders from midwives bringing new lives into the world, through doctors and nurses working on the frontline in hospitals and GP clinics and support services like physiotherapy and counselling to the end of our lives when we need aged care or end of life care.
Healthcare jobs can be found in areas including:
Primary health care - in hospitals and GP clinics
Allied health care such as physiotherapy and rehab services, and preventative services
Aged care
Hospice and end-of-life care
Mental health and wellbeing programmes both in the workplace and for individuals
Services to help with addictions
Counselling services
Creating healthier environments for New Zealanders to live in
How do these jobs do good?
Jobs in this sector contribute hugely to the health and well-being of New Zealanders. Their impact can be immediate in the case of primary care and emergency care, or longer-term in the case of organisations who work towards better health outcomes or environments.
Some health organisations focus on diverse groups who may otherwise not be able to access healthcare both in New Zealand and overseas.
More recently, there’s also been an increased focus on mental health, and more organisations and roles looking at how to support and improve mental health and well-being.
Health jobs - the stats
New Zealand’s health sector has undergone changes in recent years with a move from the District Health Boards to a centralised health agency Te Whatu Ora. There are around 200 public and private hospitals and 1000 GP practices across the country.
It’s estimated that around 250000 people work in healthcare in New Zealand, with around 90000 of those employed by Te Whatu Ora. But there are shortages of key workers, including doctors, nurses and midwives.
The other big health agency in New Zealand is the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) which includes roles to help Kiwis access health services after they’ve had an accident. ACC employs around 4000 staff.
What kind of jobs are available?
Many health jobs will be related directly to a medical role. These include:
Doctors
Nurses
Midwives
Physiotherapists and occupational therapists
Counsellors
Aged care nurses and caregivers
Hospice nurses
Dentists and oral health technicians
Pharmacists
Lab technicians
Both Te Whatu Ora and ACC will also have many backroom roles such as HR, finance and communications. Private practices will also need those staff, but in some cases, the roles may be carried out by another member of staff. For example, a dentist running a private practice may also be responsible for the payroll.
You can also find diverse roles in organisations or companies that work to improve health outcomes from other directions. These might include roles like healthy assessors and consultants or environmental consultants who work to improve our living and working environment for better health.
Health jobs can be found across New Zealand and, if you fancy an adventure, overseas with organisations like Medecins Sans Frontiers.
What salary can I expect?
Salaries in the health sector vary by role and whether you are working in the public sector, for private practice or for a health-based charity or not-for-profit. In recent years pay equity settlements and pay increases have occurred in the public sector for occupations including nurses, social workers and allied health workers such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
Career NZ’s website can be a good place to get an idea of salary ranges.
What kind of health jobs does Do Good Jobs advertise?
On our jobs board we have a wide range of health jobs including roles with Te Whatu Ora, national organisations and smaller local groups.
Our employers include: