Primary and Community Sector Placement Funding

Funding for this In November 2024, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora announced funding for the primary and community sector to support the placement of 200 new graduate registered nurses (RN) into employment.

The initiative enables primary and community providers including rural, NGO’s and funded aged care facilities, to enhance their ability to attract and retain new graduate RNs.

By focusing on strengthening recruitment within the funded sector, the initiative supports the growth and development of a New Zealand-trained nursing workforce, ensuring these essential settings are well-equipped to meet future healthcare needs.

Funding for this initiative opens on 3 December 2024 and is limited so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

The national primary and community placement funding incentivises the funded primary care, community and rural health sector to recruit and support up to 200 new graduate RNs from our ACE Programme into employment.

Health NZ will provide up to $15,000 or $20,000 to eligible* employers in the funded primary and community care sector as follows:

• $15,000 is available for Urban placements
• $20,000 for Rural placements
• $20,000 for Pacific providers and Hauora Māori providers

The funding does not include NESP positions.

All non-Health New Zealand employers with an ACE matched RN graduate from the end of year 2024 cohort will also need to follow the employer eligibility and funding application process outlined below.

To be eligible for this funding, the primary or community provider must meet all of the following criteria per graduate RN:

• A signed employment contract with a new graduate RN from the 2024 ACE end-of-year cohort with employment commencing 6 December 2024 onwards
• Able to provide preceptorship and clinical support for the new graduate over 12 months.
  - Preceptorship courses can be delivered in a variety of ways including through the District, education providers or by employers themselves.
  - Online preceptorship training is freely available through Health NZ LearnOnline
• Able to access or deliver a supported first year of practice.
  - A supported first year of practice delivered by employer or from local primary/ community providers or
  - Access to the district Nurse Entry Practice (NETP) programme or a similar programme
• Ability and commitment to manage the new graduate to develop practice in a supported and effective manner.
  - Specify the processes and responsible personnel in any case where a new graduate is unable to reach learning/ assessment targets. 
• New graduates should be working a minimum of (0.6FTE) 
• Able to provide evidence of systems to support all of the above

Eligibility funded providers include:

Primary care and community care providers including:

• General practices
• Urgent Care
• Hauora Māori Partners
• Pacific Partners
• Non-Government Organisations (NGOs)
• Organisations delivering primary health care services
• Aged care providers (with the exception of retirement village only facilities)
• Rural trust hospitals delivering primary healthcare services

All providers must employ a Registered Nurse preceptor.

This funding does not apply to:

• Private hospitals
• Department of Corrections
• Health New Zealand
• Retirement villages
• Nurse practitioners
• Enrolled nurses
• Kaiāwhina
• Return to nursing
• Non-New Zealand trained new graduate Registered Nurses
• New graduate Registered Nurses who are receiving NESP funding
• Graduates who were not part of the 2024 end of year ACE cohort

If you have questions about the criteria, please the frequently asked questions below. If you still need assistant, please contact the team at GraduateRN@tewhatuora.govt.nz.

• Check that you meet the criteria above
• Employers can submit an Employer Eligibility Form for the panel to assess the eligibility outlined in the above criteria.
• Once approved, employers will receive a unique eligibility code and can then apply for funding. You can use the same eligibility code each time.
• The employer must complete one funding application per new graduate RN employed.

Funding is limited so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

• Employer Placement Eligibility requests will be assessed by a panel for eligibility.
• Employers will be notified via email of the outcome of their request and if successful, supplied a letter of eligibility, with a unique eligibility code to use to submit applications for funding.
• Once a signed employment agreement with a new graduate from the 2024 end-of-year ACE cohort is in place, the employer can complete an application for funding form.

Note that while the employer and the Registered Nurse may meet the criteria, funding is limited to 200 Registered Nurses.

The goal of a SFYP is to provide a planned and supported first year of practice, coupled with preceptorship to enable a new RN to transition from a novice RN to a competent RN.

Professional development and education will reflect the practice setting, for example, primary health care, aged care or community.

A SFYP should facilitate the development of a culturally safe workforce, reflecting our diverse community, and better understanding own cultural perspectives to bring awareness to how this may impact service delivery across a range of social contexts.

Role modelling the way we work to improve health outcomes, equity for Māori, as well as Pacific People, Tangata Whaikaha /Disabled People, and other communities, that achieves the goals of Pae Ora.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is focused on the pursuit of Māori health gain as well as achieving equitable health outcomes for Māori. Support tangata whenua and mana whenua led change to deliver mana motuhake and Māori self-determination in the design, delivery, and monitoring of health care.

Actively support kaimahi Māori by improving attraction, recruitment, retention, development, and leadership, and te ao Māori is reflected in all that we do.

Until 31 March 2025, primary and community providers have the opportunity to advertise roles tailored for new graduate registered nurses on Kiwi Health Jobs at no-cost.

This initiative is designed to promote the employment of New Zealand-trained graduate nurses across the entire health system.

By advertising your graduate RN roles, you’ll contribute to strengthening our domestic nursing workforce and that fosters a sustainable health system.

To list your vacancy, contact the team at info@kiwihealthjobs.com

How is rural defined?

A general practice designated rural under the PHO services agreement
or
A non-general practice provider based in locations categorised as rural 1, 2 or 3 using the Geographical Classification of Health
You can read more about  the Geographical Classication for Health - University of Otago. See map on the SRural Health Research Network - University of Otago.

What is a Pacific Partner?

The nationally set criteria for Pacific partners are:

• Be an existing Pacific health service provider (i.e., a provider that is owned and governed by Pacific peoples and provides service primarily, but not exclusively, for Pacific people), and
• Hold a health service contract (with Ministry of Health, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, or a Primary Health Organisation) within the last 18 months, and
• Be a legal entity

These FAQs outline the criteria in more detail, although please note they are for a different programme.

How many graduate RNs can we be funded for?

Organisations are eligible to apply for funding for multiple RNs as long as all the criteria are met. 
Each graduate will require a separate application. Funding is limited so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Is our aged care facility eligible?

All aged care facilities are eligible except facilities that are retirement villages only.

What if the RN we offered the job to has not passed the state final?

Unfortunately, in this situation you will not be able to apply for funding. We will only provide funding for 2024 end of year ACE cohort who are registered and have a current APC. However you can still apply if you employ eligible RNs or apply later when the nurse has gained their APC. Please note, we cannot guarantee funding will still be available at a later date.

Does a RN need to have an APC?

Yes. We will only provide funding if an eligible nurse has an APC. We suggest when you are interviewing nurses, you encourage them to apply for their APC as soon as possible.

We were already matched with an RN through ACE 2024 end of year cohort. Are we eligible for the funding?

Yes, as long as your organisation and the RN meet all the criteria.

What if you have used up all the funding by the time we apply?

In that case we will not be able to fund you. This is a limited pool of funding for 200 RNs.

Can we apply for funding before the RN starts work?

Yes, as long as you have met all requirements for the funding application e.g. a signed contract at 0.6FTE or more with a graduate from the 2024 end-of-year cohort.