Mini-Hoon: Andrea Black on our sickening workforce

I spoke to Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) Economist Andrea Black this week about a report she’s produced on the economic, social & financial costs of the worsening health of our workforce.

The 52-page report, titled Managed decline: The Health of New Zealand 2011 to 2024, details a worsening in the health of the working-age population, in particular around mental health and obesity.

Andrea used Treasury cost-benefit models to work out the potential costs to society and the economy of up to $10.6 billion per year through lost hours worked, falling productivity, presenteeism and lost taxes because of the sickening health of the workforce. She estimated that a continued worsening at the same rate would increase that loss by an extra $3.3 billion by 2035/36.

We talked about:

* How the self-rated health of New Zealanders has declined significantly.

* 80% of health determinants were outside the health system.

* How 22,000 more people are out of work due to health issues.

* Presenteeism contributes significantly to lost productivity.

* Mental health issues had a substantial economic impact.

* Social determinants like housing and income were crucial for health.

* Health impacts not only individuals but also families and communities.

These tables charts in the report tell the story:

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Health Trends in New Zealand

03:07 Self-Rated Health: A Decline in Perception

06:05 Economic Implications of Health Deterioration

09:05 Social Determinants of Health and Community Impact

Subscribe in full as a paying subscriber for more detail and analysis in the full video and podcasts that go out with my Early Bird and Daily Chorus email newsletters. Paying subscribers support my work being done in the public interest here, and via my appearances on other media such as RNZ & 1News. Paying subscribers also get early and full access to our webinars, our chat room, my morning ‘Early Bird’ post with the full ‘Picks n’ Mixes’ digests of news links, and can comment on articles.

Ka kite ano

Bernard

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekaka.substack.com/subscribe