Latest fromMinistry of Health

Rest home to close after failing standards
A rest home and hospital for the aged in South Auckland will close next month after it failed to meet standards imposed by health authorities.

IHC facing ruin after multi-million pay order
The IHC is seeking Govt help over an Employment Court case that could cost it $80 million in backpay and an extra $20m a year in wages.

Ban on P ingredient at least a year away
A promised Government crackdown on the main ingredient in the drug P is likely to be at least a year away.

Botched circumcision puts four-year-old in hospital
A doctor who severed an artery in a boy's penis during circumcision may face disciplinary action.

Nearly 100 patients die after hospital incidents - report
Nearly 100 patients died after "serious" incidents in public hospitals during the year to June 30, according to a report out today.

Nearly one in six drinking potentially unsafe water
Drinking water flowing to almost one in six New Zealanders either failed to reach health standards or escaped testing during 2007/08.

2700 hospital workers to strike around NZ
More than 2700 hospital service workers around the country will strike this Friday over stalled wage negotiations.

Ratings point to DHBs' deficiencies
Hospital emergency departments in much of Auckland are performing below par on newly issued national rankings of DHBs.

Jon Voight slams Kiwi healthcare
Angelina Jolie's dad, actor Jon Voight, has denounced our health system as causing "many deaths"

Labtests misses patient's cancer
Labtests failed to diagnose cancer in tissue taken from a patient with a history of malignant melanoma.

Skin cancer costs NZ millions
A report for the Cancer Society says treatment of the preventable disease costs the health system more than $57m.