Statement on access to care for people with advanced breast cancer

Improving access to primary health care is at the heart of an effective equitable public health system and is a priority for the Government.

One way of improving access to primary care is with the extension to the Very Low Cost Access scheme. On 1 December last year, the Government extended the VLCA scheme to all community service card holders. This has lowered the cost of primary care visits by an average of $20 to $30 for an extra 540,000 New Zealanders.


Improved access includes those with breast cancer who fit the criteria. Targeting cheaper primary care visits to those who most need it will improve access.


In addition to this, the Ministry of Health is producing a Cancer Action Plan that will identify key priorities with the aim of improving cancer outcomes for all New Zealanders. 
The interim plan is due to the Minister of Health before the end of June 2019.


The Plan will guide decisions about where to invest effort and resources and will be based on evidence and will incorporate the views of relevant stakeholders.


Improving cancer outcomes for all New Zealanders also means looking at the whole spectrum of care from prevention and early detection to treatment. 
Another important contributor to improving cancer outcomes will be improving screening coverage, especially for Māori women whose screening rate of 65% is below the overall screening rate of 72%, so that breast cancer is detected early before it becomes advanced.


A key component of the plan will be addressing the issue of equity of access to, the experience of, and outcomes from care

Access to screening, early detection and diagnostics services is hugely important to ensure that people get treated before cancer becomes advanced.