Health cuts pick up steam as Budget looms

new-zealand-labour-party

Wed Apr 28 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Health cuts pick up steam as Budget looms

Wednesday, 28 April 2010, 2:55 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

**Health cuts pick up steam as National heads towards Budget
**
Despite increasing the spend on health services in the last budget, National have cut more than 50 frontline patient services, Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.

“More money fewer services, it’s a shocking indictment on a Government that campaigned on less bureaucracy and more services,” Ruth Dyson said.

“Instead of less bureaucracy we now have Tony Ryall’s new empire of the National Health Board, and no money moved from backroom to frontline services.

“We now have thousands of elderly going without home-help in a number of areas around the country, Taranaki and MidCentral DHBs currently going through the process of cutting patient services, and others such as West Coast clearly about to start slashing services.

“I find it interesting that Minister of Health Tony Ryall’s answer to questions about the loss of patient’s services is that he has increased the budget.

“The reality is services across the country are being cut because Tony Ryall is telling DHBs to cut them.

“Mr Ryall told New Zealanders he would solve the financial issues of DHBs by cutting back bureaucracy he has failed and instead he is now cutting patient services.

“This year Labour expects the Minister will put approximately $350 million of additional spending into health and that despite this, cuts to patient services will continue to increase.

“Record spending in health seems to mean record cuts in health services under a National Government.

“I am sure Mr Ryall will deliver some nice sounding press release about spending on Budget Day but in reality he is a Minister who has failed New Zealanders when it comes to accessing health services.

“National should change its health manifesto to read, less service, less care and more cuts,” Ruth Dyson said.

ENDS

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