Latest news with #JasonPower
Otago Daily Times
24-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
After-hours healthcare services to be improved
People in need of health services in Oamaru will find it easier to be assessed out-of-hours after a funding boost. As part of a number of key Budget 2025 initiatives announced by the government, Oamaru has been marked for improved after-hour services starting next year. Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher welcomed the news Oamaru would have its after-hours services improved. "The after-hours emergency department has always been a critical service provided by Oamaru Hospital, so it is great to see that Health NZ is making further improvements to support our wider Waitaki community. "A significant proportion of our population will benefit and, in a time when government funding is under huge pressure, it's awesome to hear that this service will be improved." Health NZ Te Whatu Ora acting funding and investment director Jason Power said the services would be tailored for local need and workforce availability. "This is about putting patients first — whether they live in a small rural town or a large city. "The government has announced significant investment to maintain existing urgent and after-hours care services and to deliver new and improved services where they are needed. "Health New Zealand will now work with providers and the workforce to ensure that these services can be delivered," he said. "This is a complex work programme and implementation will occur over the next two years. Our primary care teams will work with the sector and other key agencies such as ACC on key next steps. "We're modernising how care is delivered so patients can access urgent help more easily and reliably. That means flexible care teams, better use of digital tools and investing in the workforce to ensure services remain sustainable and available when people need them most." Health Minister Simeon Brown said the moves were about ensuring that people can get timely, quality care when they need it. "This investment means South Islanders will have faster access to care, with shorter trips and more treatment available locally — especially outside of normal hours — while reducing pressure on emergency departments." As part of the funding package a new after-hours service will be trialled in Twizel. "Budget 2025 is investing $164million over four years to strengthen urgent and after-hours care nationwide, meaning 98% of Kiwis will be able to access these services within one hour's drive of their home," Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey said. The funding includes targeted support for more than 70 rural and remote communities, including after-hours support, 24/7 on-call in-person clinical support and improved access to diagnostics and medicines.
NZ Herald
15-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Northland hospices face dire future without funding increase
'We have had a 90% increase in requests for service across the country, especially in Northland. 'We have an ageing population and people live longer and are then more prone to end-of-life illnesses.' She said they receive about 50% in government funding, and the rest they fundraise. 'That means we have to raise over $4.5 million from the community each year, and in Whangārei we are not a wealthy population so it's not easy. 'This is not sustainable, we won't go past three or four years if we don't get an increase in government funding and that is not an idle threat … We are at risk of disappearing and falling off completely.' She said they have dipped into their reserves, which was not ideal but was necessary to keep services going. 'It's not fair that the community has to fund at the level that they have to.' Mid-Northland Hospice chief executive Cristina Ross echoed the sentiments and said they have to raise around $1.5 million each year. 'We have had significant patient growth in Kerikeri alone. Per capita, Kerikeri has a higher concentration of retirement homes and old-age residential care.' She said while Kerikeri is seen as more well off, there was still a lot of deprivation and people needing their services. 'It's getting really dire. Many hospices are dipping into their reserves just to balance their books, and that is not a sustainable model.' The acting national director for planning, funding and outcomes at Health NZ Te Whatu Ora, Jason Power, said the agency remains committed to ensuring palliative and end-of-life care, and it is working through increases in funding for hospices. 'We are currently working through uplifts or increases for the funded sector, which includes hospice. Hospices will be advised of the level of uplift, with other contracted providers, when the uplift is confirmed.' He said that for the 2023/24 financial year, Health NZ provided $113.6 million in funding to 28 hospices. 'We are committed to working with hospices and a range of other services to ensure palliative care meets the needs of all New Zealanders and their families. We regularly engage with hospices and Hospice New Zealand, and they are very much front and centre of our National Palliative Care Work Programme that is under way.' Hospice NZ chief executive Wayne Naylor said hospices would only see change if more funding was made available. He said Hospice NZ had given the previous Government and Health NZ information on the impact hospices have. It had shown them that on top of the care and support hospices give families, hospices save millions of dollars by keeping people out of ERs and hospitals and helping to reduce visits to GPs. He said each year hospices were having to work harder to raise more money. 'Costs have been escalating a lot over the past five years, and that puts more pressure on communities too.'
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comcast and Dolby to Deliver First-Ever Super Bowl in Both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
Xfinity X1 Customers Can Experience Super Bowl LIX in Enhanced 4K Featuring Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and Ultra-Low Latency PHILADELPHIA & SAN FRANCISCO, February 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast and Dolby today announced that the Super Bowl LIX on FOX will be delivered in both Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos® for the first time ever. The experience will be available to Xfinity TV customers as part of Comcast's new Enhanced 4K offering on X1. Enhanced 4K provides customers with an unmatched viewing experience with the best picture and audio quality, delivered to the home in the fastest way possible so the action customers see in their living room is only seconds behind the game unfolding in New Orleans. "The Super Bowl is another example of how Xfinity is redefining the sports viewing experience through innovations in our network and with the latest innovations from partners like Dolby," said Vito Forlenza, Vice President, Sports Entertainment, Comcast. "With the clearest picture quality and the most realistic audio possible, we're offering customers a viewing experience they can't get anywhere else for the biggest live sporting event of the year. Plus, we're delivering it as fast as possible over our state-of-the-art network so customers can feel like they're witnessing every exciting moment at the same time as the fans in the Superdome." "Dolby and Comcast share a long history of delivering unparalleled, first-of-their kind experiences to fans, and today marks another milestone in our journey to transform the future of live sports," said Jason Power, Vice President, AV Ecosystem, Dolby Laboratories. "Together, we continue to raise the bar by offering Xfinity customers an immersive experience that brings the sights and sounds of the game to life like never before." Adding to Comcast's list of firsts, Xfinity customers can also enjoy this unmatched viewing experience in 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos through the simplicity of the Xfinity Stream app, which is available on compatible Dolby-enabled streaming devices and TVs. First launched for The Paris Olympics 2024, Enhanced 4K is the new quality standard to live sports delivered in 4K on X1 and leverages Comcast's superior network technology to deliver the best-possible 4K video, ultra-low latency, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Enhanced 4K joins a host of other immersive and interactive features on X1 that make it the best seat in the house for live sports. These features include: multiview, where customers can watch up to four events at once on the same screen; aggregated sports hubs, which make finding any game fast and easy; and Odds Zone, a companion experience where fans can watch and wager with leading sportsbooks directly on TV. Dolby Vision reveals more details in your favorite entertainment, so you can witness every jaw-dropping moment with incredible brightness, lifelike colors, sharp contrast, and richer detail. Dolby Atmos delivers an immersive, multi-dimensional sound experience that places every snap, tackle, and touchdown in pristine detail around you. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit for more information. About Dolby Dolby Laboratories (NYSE: DLB) is based in San Francisco with offices around the globe. From movies and TV shows, to apps, music, sports, and gaming, Dolby transforms the science of sight and sound into spectacular experiences for billions of people worldwide. We partner with artists, storytellers, developers, and businesses to revolutionize entertainment and communications with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, Dolby Cinema, and View source version on Contacts Debbie Frey 215.983.0563debbie_frey@ Andrea Sign in to access your portfolio
