National would reimburse homecare workers

Don Brash

The National Party would reimburse homecare workers their mileage costs, party leader Don Brash announced today.

The change was aimed at ensuring elderly and disabled people got reliable and quality care and to help them to continue to live at home.

Under National Dr Brash said the change would kick in from April 1 next year and would cost about $19 million a year.

"It is a false economy to short-change our home carer services," Dr Brash said.

"The costs of rest home and hospital care are much more expensive. Many older and disabled people prefer to live in their own homes with community support."

Dr Brash said recent fuel hikes had resulted in some carers resigning and noted there was an inequality where district and Plunket nurses and other health workers got a mileage allowance but other carers did not.

Providing quality aged-care services was a National Party priority, he said.

"For us, addressing eldercare is a bigger priority than providing increased taxpayer subsidies for upper income working-age adults who can afford to pay to go to the doctor," he said.

National recently revealed it would scrap the Government's universal subsidy in favour of targeting those on lower incomes.

Dr Brash was in Nelson today at a meeting of caregivers.

- NZPA