Latest news with #CPCT
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Budget 2025: No Surprises And Little To Celebrate For General Practice
After a flurry of pre-Budget announcements for primary care, Budget 2025 delivered no surprises today for primary care. 'What is hard to ignore is that the savings the Government are celebrating today come at the expense of fair and equitable pay for women. The primary care nursing pay equity claim was among those suddenly terminated due to the rapid policy change this month, which has real consequences for retention of our nursing workforce, and for improving access to timely, high-quality primary and community care,' said General Practice NZ chief executive Maura Thompson. For the past three budgets GPNZ has been calling for a significant uplift to general practice funding to begin to address historic underfunding and support sustainability. Today Minister of Health, Simeon Brown stated that 'additional investment of 7.4 per cent in total funding represents an increase of 6.2 per cent per capita'. 'We're waiting for confirmation of the funding package available for general practice, knowing that the general practice cost pressure increase this year is 6.4 per cent. Based on the Minister's statement today, we expect the uplift available to be at least 6.2 per cent,' said Ms Thompson. 'There must be no repeat of last year's situation, which shifted costs on to patients through increased fees.' Additional funding for Comprehensive Primary and Community Care Teams (CPCT) was notably absent from today's Budget announcements, despite strong indications that there would be continued support from Government for these essential roles. 'We've been pleased by the earlier announcements of additional investment in the primary care workforce, with funding for an increase in GP and nurse practitioner training places and support for new graduate nurses. However, we need to retain and expand other roles in general practice, such as pharmacists, physios and paramedics. These roles are proven to contribute to fewer ED attendances, fewer hospital admissions, shorter appointment wait times, and more tailored wraparound care.' There is some welcome news from the Budget with new allocations to support transition from hospital to aged care and the 111 mental health response service. However, it is also evident that funding for new cancer drugs has been slow to reach the sector, with underspend returned as savings this year. 'We've been keen to progress discussions about how this funding can be used to increase access to cancer drugs in primary and community settings,' Ms Thompson said. 'It's disappointing to see these funds returned, given the urgent needs of patients nationwide. We'll continue to push for progress.'
Scoop
14-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Government Axes Vulnerable Patient Helpers
A Taranaki health service says vulnerable patients are about to lose dedicated help during complex, often frightening medical care because of a government funding cut. Local Democracy Reporting has found that from July there will be no more money to pay some 130 healthcare guides across the country. Called kaiāwhina, they give guidance and wraparound support to people facing difficult illness and injury. Ngāti Ruanui Healthcare says its sole kaiāwhina is key to ensuring comprehensive care for South Taranaki communities and GP practices. Ngāti Ruanui Healthcare is iwi-owned and run, but non-Māori make up almost half of its enrolled patients. Graham Young, Ngāti Ruanui Tahua general manager, said it's a funding cut to frontline staff. 'This is not Health New Zealand trimming the fat in the backroom. 'Our kaiāwhina work alongside other healthcare professionals and services to ensure the best possible health outcomes for our most vulnerable patients.' Young said people grappling with medical problems often became physically and mentally exhausted navigating the system, coordinating appointments, and managing medications. Help from kaiāwhina brought fewer hospitalisations, better quality of life, and increased life expectancy, he said. Young said the cuts seemed ideological and political. 'The Government's support of Māori services isn't an act of generosity - it's a legal mandate based on Treaty rights.' A month after Local Democracy Reporting first asked, Health New Zealand confirmed the cuts. It said the previous Government funded kaiāwhina for two years as part of new Comprehensive Primary Care Teams (CPCT). The Māori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora – terminated by the incoming Government – spent more than $23 million on kaiāwhina to work in CPCT. The new Government hadn't renewed the funding, so it had 'expired' and kaiāwhina contracts would 'end naturally' at the end of June, said Selah Hart, the interim national director of Health NZ's Hauora Māori Services Group. Taranaki loses money for four full-time-equivalent (FTE) kaiāwhina, neighbouring Whanganui loses 4.2 FTEs, and nationally 128 FTEs are being defunded. 'While these specific positions are not continuing, Health NZ remains strongly supportive of kaiāwhina roles and their value in the health system.' Health NZ declined an interview and did not explain how it remains supportive of kaiāwhina. It also wouldn't say whether only kaiāwhina money has been cut, or if the Government would also defund other roles in the CPCT. The chief executive of Ngāti Ruanui's iwi said Health NZ was gambling with lives of South Taranaki's most vulnerable. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui kaiwhakahaere Rachel Arnott said she had very little confidence the Government would ever honour 'Tiriti-guaranteed rights of iwi, hapū and whānau'. 'This coalition Government promised its cuts would not impact frontline services. 'Clearly that was a lie. I wish I could say I was surprised.' Young said kaiāwhina were cultivating positive, lasting relationships between patients' GPs, specialists, and health providers. Ngāti Ruanui Healthcare would explore all options so patients continue to get the support they need, he said.
NZ Herald
14-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Government axes vulnerable patient helpers in South Taranaki, Whanganui
Ngāti Ruanui Healthcare is iwi-owned and run, but non-Māori make up almost half of its enrolled patients. Graham Young, Ngāti Ruanui Tahua general manager, said it was a funding cut to frontline staff. 'This is not Health New Zealand trimming the fat in the back room. 'Our kaiāwhina work alongside other healthcare professionals and services to ensure the best possible health outcomes for our most vulnerable patients.' Young said people grappling with medical problems often became physically and mentally exhausted navigating the system, co-ordinating appointments and managing medications. Help from kaiāwhina brought fewer hospitalisations, better quality of life and increased life expectancy, he said. Young said the cuts seemed ideological and political. 'The Government's support of Māori services isn't an act of generosity - it's a legal mandate based on Treaty rights.' A month after Local Democracy Reporting first asked, Health NZ confirmed the cuts. It said the previous Government funded kaiāwhina for two years as part of new Comprehensive Primary Care Teams (CPCT). The Māori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora – terminated by the incoming Government – spent more than $23 million on kaiāwhina to work in CPCT. The new Government had not renewed the funding, so it had 'expired' and kaiāwhina contracts would 'end naturally' at the end of June, said Selah Hart, the interim national director of Health NZ's Hauora Māori Services Group. Taranaki loses money for four fulltime-equivalent (FTE) kaiāwhina, neighbouring Whanganui loses 4.2 FTEs, and nationally 128 FTEs are being defunded. 'While these specific positions are not continuing, Health NZ remains strongly supportive of kaiāwhina roles and their value in the health system.' Health NZ declined an interview and did not explain how it remained supportive of kaiāwhina. It also would not say whether only kaiāwhina money had been cut, or if the Government would also defund other roles in the CPCT. The chief executive of Ngāti Ruanui iwi said Health NZ was gambling with the lives of South Taranaki's most vulnerable. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui kaiwhakahaere Rachel Arnott said she had very little confidence the Government would ever honour 'Tiriti-guaranteed rights of iwi, hapū and whānau'. 'This coalition Government promised its cuts would not impact frontline services. 'Clearly that was a lie. I wish I could say I was surprised.' Young said kaiāwhina were cultivating positive, lasting relationships between patients' GPs, specialists and health providers. Ngāti Ruanui Healthcare would explore all options so patients continued to get the support they needed, he said.
