The New Zealand Medical Association on the Government’s health investment announcement

The NZMA welcomes today’s budget announcement of an investment in DHBs and hospital services.

“This additional funding to increase capacity for elective surgery and other hospital services is great news for our members and for patients who have had treatment deferred as the health system has responded to COVID19,” says Dr Kate Baddock, Chair of the NZMA.

“However, the announcement is silent on health services that are delivered outside of hospitals and in our communities.

“General Practitioners and their teams have been the frontline of New Zealand’s health sector response stepping up to deal with COVID19 while at the same time continuing to provide care to other patients. General practice has also, like other New Zealand businesses, taken a financial hit during lockdown and this is on top of chronic underfunding over many years.

“It is good that the government has committed to investing in our health system and we look forward to detail on how that investment is applied to general practice, the cornerstone of our health system.”