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The health system is wasting almost $60 million a year because nearly one in 10 people fail to attend medical appointments because they can't get there, New Zealand First MP Pita Paraone says.
He told Parliament 188,000 hospital appointments were missed last year, mainly because people had no transport. NZ First said funding dedicated transport services would be cheaper than the cost of missed appointments.
Health Minister Pete Hodgson said it was simplistic to blame a lack of transport for non-attendance of appointments, but district health boards were free to address the issue if they believed it was a problem..
