ProCare, New Zealand’s largest network of primary healthcare professionals, has today welcomed the Government’s announcement that it will be reinstating free childcare for essential workers.

The announcement outlined over the weekend that approved licensed home-based education and care providers could provide care for children aged 0-13 of workers in Alert Level 4.

Bindi Norwell, Group CEO at ProCare says: "The first five days of lockdown have been difficult for a number of healthcare workers without the same childcare provisions that we saw last year. The announcement that the government is reinstating free childcare for essential workers will significantly reduce the stress levels of our doctors, nurses, practice managers and support teams who are having to leave their whānau behind and go and work on the front line’.

"Knowing that a licensed educator can look after your children while you’re out working will be a relief and will go a long way to reducing the load already placed on healthcare workers," she continues.
The primary care sector has played a significant role in the fight against COVID-19 - particularly in the last few days.

"General practices have exceeded previous records for both COVID-19 vaccinations and swabbing; with more than 175,000 vaccinations being given since the vaccine programme restarted on 19 August and just shy of 68,000 swabs completed in the first 5 days of lockdown," says Norwell.

"This a phenomenal effort and just highlights the invaluable service that essential workers are providing while the majority of the country is in the safety of their own home," she concludes.

ENDS
For more information contact:
Dee Crooks | Director of Brand and Communications, ProCare HealthEmail: dee.crooks@procare.co.nz, Tel: +64 (0)22 0310 380