Migrant workers in the country on temporary work permits should be told they need health insurance before they get here, Venture South settlement support co-ordinator Sue Morrison-Bailey says.
In response to a question at the recent Otago and Southland district health boards community and public health committee meeting in Invercargill she said new migrants often knew "zilch" about what was available through New Zealand's health care system when they arrived.
Committee member Katie O'Connor said this information disturbed her.
There was an ethical duty and a moral responsibility to look after people brought into the country to work and, if this was not being done, "we need to be looking hard at ourselves".
Ms Morrison-Bailey said it came as a big shock to some Filipinas, for instance, that giving birth here would cost them $4000 to $5000.
While migrants qualified for accident cover under ACC, until they had worked in New Zealand for more than two years they did not receive health service subsidies.
There was increasing confusion among health professionals about who was eligible and who was not, she said.
Speaking after the meeting, she said dental health care for children was one area where there appeared to be confusion and she understood some children had received treatment although the guidelines suggested they were not eligible.
She would like to see the Ministry of Health take a lead in educating health professionals.
Health services staff needed to be more "culturally competent" as more migrants from African countries, the Philippines, South America and the Pacific Islands were expected.
She did not expect that the economic downturn would necessarily make much difference to this if planned dairy-farm conversions went ahead.
While New Zealanders would be offered first option on the jobs, it was a matter of "who wants to get up at four in the morning," she said.
Ms Morrison-Bailey also told the committee social services were coming under pressure from the migrant population, she said.
Education was needed about matters such as the laws relating to domestic violence, which could be different from those in workers' home countries.
Committee chairman Errol Millar said the boards, as employers, needed to ensure they were fulfilling their legal obligations when employing staff.
Staff also needed to know what patients were entitled to and have an appreciation of cultural differences.
The matters raised by Ms Morrison-Bailey were "real big issues" and thought needed to be given to them, he said.
