Senior hospital doctors are concerned the Budget will lead to hospital underfunding while fellow doctor organisation NZMA have welcomed increased spending on health.
Ian Powell, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, said the actual increase in operation spending for health was an estimated $150 million short of what was needed to cope with increased, costs, population and ageing. “And over $200m short if we want a modest increase in services and new treatments without cutting others.”
Paul Ockelford, chair of the New Zealand Medical Association, said NZMA welcomed the increased spending in the Budget particularly measures for the vulnerable such as the $92 million to pay family members who care for their disabled adult children.
Social factors, such as housing, play a major part in influencing health,” says NZMA Chair Dr Paul Ockelford, “so the announcement of the extra $100 million over three years for the Healthy Homes insulation programme is also welcomed – particularly the targeting of low-income households with children or high health needs.
He said the focus on preventive medicine would also be useful, with more funding for diabetes and heart disease work, including more risk assessments, and increased support for Green Prescriptions as well as the prostate cancer awareness campaign.
Powell said access to many services was at risk unless “a concerted effort” was made by district health boards to fix the long-standing issue.
“While the Government is continuing to focus its limited spending on a few targeted areas, most public hospital services are struggling to maintain services let alone meet the increasing demand. Even in the targeted areas, like elective surgery, hospitals are increasingly expected to do more for relatively less,
