Invercargill nurses, midwives and health care workers are set to rally this Saturday (15 April) to call for the nursing crisis and health to be the top priority in this year's general elections.

The rallies, one of 19 across the country, has been organised by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO).

NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter said decades of poor planning, inadequate funding and outright neglect across successive governments had led to a time of absolute crisis in terms of pay, staffing resources and morale across the nursing sector.

He said just about any nurse you speak to will say patients are not receiving adequate care.

"That’s worrying for our elderly and infirm but it’s also soul-destroying for nurses. Add to that poor conditions, chronic overwork and the Government’s refusal to settle outstanding pay issues, and it’s no wonder thousands have left for Australia and thousands more are making plans to leave."

"We need 4000-5000 more nurses; it’s as simple as that. So, we want to see everything possible being done to recruit them without delay, and for all politicians to get behind this with their support."

The rally will take place between 11am and noon at Invercargill's Gala Street Reserve.