A medical association is calling for further commitment from the Government over their promise to fund nearly $4 billion to the sector over the next four years.
Association for Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Sarah Dalton, who had previously called out the Government for “critically underfunding” the health sector, said the funding boost was a "step in the right direction" but there needs to more long-term commitment.
“Obviously what we are looking for is sustainability and trainings that last longer than an electoral cycle… it took us longer than a couple years to get in to this hole, it’s going to take longer than a couple years to dig ourselves out,” she says.
According to the association, medical staff are wanting to see more "thoughtful action" taken by the Government to help ease the strain on New Zealand's health sector.
While the Government funding hopes to kickstart the industry in terms of resource and personnel support Ms Dalton says questions are being raised whether there is enough capacity to allow for those changes to take place.
“We already say we don’t have enough senior doctors and we certainly know we don’t have enough operating spaces and recovery bed,” says Ms Dalton.
Compared to other OECD countries, New Zealand lands below others when it comes to the amount of resources available, such as inpatient beds for mental health services.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists CEO Sarah Dalton says NZ’s healthcare was in trouble well before Covid-19. (Source: Other)
“It’s got to be part of this picture, it’s not just about hip replacements and cataract surgeries. You know, there’s very big picture to this.”
She says that the sector has a “tail of un-met needs” in a backlog of patients awaiting elective surgeries even before the Covid-19 crisis.
SHARE ME