Budget 2016: $32m for Bay of Plenty District Health Board

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman at Tauranga Hospital in 2014. Photo/File

Today's Budget has revealed a funding increase of $32 million for the Bay of Plenty District Health Board.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said this funding injection tool the health board's total allocation to a record level.

"Bay of Plenty DHB will receive an extra $32 million in new money this year, taking the DHB's total funding to $718 million for 2016/17. That's an extra $202 million in funding over the last eight years," Dr Coleman said.

"Delivering better health services remains this Government's number one funding priority."

Dr Coleman said the Government's investment in health would reach a record $16.1 billion in 2016/17. An extra $568 million would be invested for 2016/17 - the biggest increase in seven years, and almost $170 million more than last year.

Extra health funding over the next four years included:

• $124 million for Pharmac to provide more access to new medicines.

• $96 million to provide more elective surgery, a key Government priority.

• $39.3 million to start the roll-out of a bowel screening programme.

• $42 million for vulnerable groups:
- $18 million to expand the Healthy Homes Initiative which aims to reduce preventable diseases in young children;

- $12 million to increase support for primary care and social services to enable people to access mental health help earlier;

- $12 million to expand a successful programme which provides intensive alcohol and drug support for pregnant women.