8. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
What announcements has the Government made in relation to hospice funding?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Despite inheriting a public health system with serious workforce shortages, the Government has committed an extra $60 million over the next 4 years for New Zealand hospices. Hospices have long been supported by public funding, together with a very large amount of voluntary work and funding. This announcement will help sustain the work that these very good New Zealanders are undertaking.
Dr Paul Hutchison Link to this
What are the details of how this $15 million per year is to be shared among different regions?
The Ministry of Health has been working with hospices and district health boards to establish individual shortfalls, and has agreed allocations that essentially enable each hospice to have around 70 percent of its costs covered by Government or district health board funding. In addition, for those areas without hospices, palliative care funding has been allocated to ensure that those areas are not disadvantaged.
Hon Ruth DysonWhy has the Minister agreed to $10 million worth of cuts to home-based personal care and housework, rest home and dementia level care, respite care, and carer support, including palliative care, in the Otago community, and how does that $10 million cut per year for just one district health board compare with the $15 million increase for hospices across the whole country?