$150m Green plan for health

The Green Party wants 10 per cent of the health budget dedicated to public and preventive health within five years.

Health spokeswoman Sue Kedgley, launching the policy in Coromandel yesterday, said that would mean an extra $150 million a year for the overall budget.

At present, those areas were allocated 3 per cent of the budget.

"We can't afford to keep running our health services as the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff," she said.

"Spending more on improving health and on early diagnosis and treatment would reduce the stress on hospitals and doctors."

Ms Kedgley also said that the Greens wanted an urgent review of why district health boards were getting into debt and then ensure that they were paid enough to meet the "real costs" of services.

Greens co-leader and Coromandel MP Jeanette Fitzsimons said the policy would help to secure full health services for rural communities.

Other main points of the policy were:

* Increase finance to primary health care progressively to make it affordable for everyone.

* Strengthen hospitals serving rural communities.

* Ensure that accident and emergency services, with access to surgery, are within one hour's travel by road for 90 per cent of the people.

* Improve working conditions and pay to attract quality staff to rural areas.

* Support rongoa Maori (traditional Maori healing) practitioners and practices.

* Ensure that every district health board has a standing committee on mental health.

* Reduce the risks to patient safety and reduce by 50 per cent the number of people who become ill as a result of treatment in the health system.

- NZPA

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