National Party Leader John Key says a National-led Government will continue to grow health funding and will focus its efforts on improving frontline healthcare delivery.

"National will continue the growth in health spending set out in the 2008 Budget. This includes the Government's indicative spending allocations.

"National will spend that extra funding more wisely than Labour, as well as getting more effective care from existing spending. We will deliver better, sooner, more convenient care and treatment for New Zealanders from the public's investment in health."

Mr Key has made the first in a series of pre-election health policy announcements, today focusing on the funding and framework of health services.

"New Zealand must strive to get more health service from existing spending by reducing waste and bureaucracy, and lifting productivity."

Mr Key says National will:

• Continue the current health-spending growth track.
• Reduce bureaucracy, and focus on frontline care for patients.
• Give doctors and nurses more say.
• Require DHBs to work more collaboratively to improve access to services and reduce administrative duplication and waste.
• Devolve more hospital-based services into primary care settings, providing faster access to more care closer to home.
• Support the smart use of the private sector to increase the number of people getting timely access to vitally needed surgery, and reduce hospital waiting lists.

"National will manage the public health system to deliver better, sooner, more convenient healthcare for all New Zealanders. We want shorter waiting times, less bureaucracy, and a trusted and motivated health workforce.

"New Zealand's health service can be improved to meet these challenges without the distraction of restructuring. We have the right people on the frontline of healthcare. We need to trust them and empower them to do the job even better.  National will do just that."
 

For policy summary and backgrounder visit: http://national.org.nz/files/2008/health_1.pdf