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Government and health - Source: ONE News -
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Health was the big winner on Budget day, with an additional $3 billion earmarked for the sector over the next four years.
In the coming year, $750 million will be spent, which is around 40% of the total Budget funding for this year.
District Health Boards receive the lion's share of funding, with a $2.1 billion boost.
These funds will focus on improving services in each locality, including $138.8 million for subsidised medicines. Together with the current $46.9 million set aside for funding the breast cancer drug Herceptin, the government will subsidise $185.7 million of medicines.
DHBs will also get $45.5 million to redirect some of the services they currently provide back to the primary care sector.
Aged care will receive $89.5 million over four years, including funding for elderly being cared in the home.
Hospices will receive an extra $60 million which the government says delivers on its election promise of meeting a funding shortfall for palliative care. Hospices have been struggling with increased demand, rising costs and falling donations.
Upping the workforce
The health sector workforce will also get a boost, with a focus on more health professionals and training, to the tune of $11.5 million over four years.
The government says it will spend $70 million on hiring up to 800 extra health professionals to increase elective surgery services.
Increased spending on training will fund 60 new medical student training places in the coming year, rising to 200 new places each year over the next five years.
Minister for Health Tony Ryall says New Zealand has the highest percentage of foreign trained doctors of any of the 30 OECD countries, yet it exports 29% of doctors trained in New Zealand. He says the increase in training places and the voluntary bonding scheme will help retain medical professionals in New Zealand.
The voluntary bonding scheme offers student loan write-offs for doctors, nurses and midwives who choose to stay and work in New Zealand for five years after graduating.
GP training will also get an additional $17.5 million over four years to provide an extra 50 places for upskilling those doctors involved in the primary care sector.
The understaffed rural medical sector will receive $4 million over four years to encourage health professionals to train and work in rural communities.
Pre-Budget announcements on health
Prior to the Budget the government it would spend an extra $103.5 million on maternity services over the next four years.
Ryall said $38.5 million will be spent on giving new mothers longer hospital stays. The rest of the money will provide more funding for Plunketline and extra GP visits for at risk pregnant women.
An extra $6.5 million over four years will go towards the $26 million in Mental Health Blueprint funding to treat eating disorders.
Before the announcement, annual spending on eating disorders was
$10.5 million.
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Post new commentNoddy samurai said on 2009-05-29 @ 18:57 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think the same as "UP2DATE I think it's about the best National could have done. Nobody including Labour predicted just how bad things would get so overall I'm pretty happy with it
UP2DATE said on 2009-05-28 @ 17:38 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think it's about the best National could have done. Nobody including Labour predicted just how bad things would get so overall I'm pretty happy with it. I had been a Labour supporter up until the last election but the "nanny state" thing had me change. I'm so glad. How disappointing is Phil Goff as leader of the Labour party? Mr Negative without any real alternative...