Easier access health priority for Labour

Labour's health policy promises to improve access to primary care and cut elective surgery queues.

Health Minister Annette King lists four priorities: improving access to quality primary healthcare; continuing to reduce waiting times for elective surgery; improving mental health services; and implementing the Government's 13-goal health strategy.

"Affordable primary healthcare will be available to all New Zealanders over the next eight to 10 years, based on their health needs, not on their ability to pay," Mrs King said yesterday.

Initially, Labour would reduce the cost of care for high-health need, low-income people. That would be followed by reduced costs for everyone.

The Government has already announced $400 million more for primary healthcare over the next three years.

Mrs King said that would reduce the cost of accessing primary care for at least 300,000 people next year.

In the next three years Labour would ensure no one waited more than six months either for first assessment or for surgery following assessment.

Other main police points are:

* Mental health: Labour would invest $257 million over four years to rebuild the workforce, develop regional networks and ensure a fair distribution of funding across regions.

* District health board deficits: The current $170 million in deficits would be dealt with by "realistic" funding over the next three years, with $114 million provided for deficit and capital project support in 2002-03.

* Rural health: More than $32 million would go to GPs, nurses and other health workers in rural communities over the next three years, as well as increased primary care funding.

Mrs King said Labour kept its 1999 election promises by reducing waiting times and providing a health service that focused on patients, not profit.

- NZPA

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