Chris Hipkins is promising to deliver the "largest ever increase to the number of doctors trained each year," if Labour is re-elected for another term next month.
The party wants to increase the total number of doctors trained to 874 each year, and said it would help make up for "decades of underfunding our health system."
But Christopher Luxon has said Labour's plans are "just not credible or believable".
Hipkins said: “Labour will increase the number of doctors trained yearly, scaling up each year until we are training an extra 335 doctors every year from 2027 – a 62% increase over current levels."
It comes as frontline doctors continued to strike today over poor conditions. (Source: 1News)
The party's plans for more investment are partially predicated on additional training placements that have already been announced, according to Hipkins.
"This starts with the additional 50 doctors places a year the Labour Government announced as part of New Zealand’s Health Workforce Plan and adds 95 more each year for three years to bring the total amount of doctors trained yearly to 874."
"We need more doctors given the decades of underfunding of our health system, and this record boost to our doctor training will make a difference for years to come."
Health spokesperson Dr Ayesha Verrall said the party was also committing to:
- "Creating 700 extra nursing places in 2024."
- "Expanding new ‘earn and learn’ training opportunities."
- "Increasing international recruitment allowing us to recruit 300 additional Senior Medical Officers."
- "Settling pay equity for hospital midwives, continuing improving pay for the health workforce."
- "Scaling up earn-as-you-learn modular training."
- "Continue prioritising key health professions through the Green List and review regularly to plug skill gaps."
The "significant commitment" would cost $924 million over 10 years and the party claims it would mean training more doctors faster than National could deliver.
Labour's policy document suggested: "We can deliver this through existing medical schools, without a fantasy unfunded third medical school. Our policy delivers more places faster.
"It is more efficient and cost-effective to use our existing highly regarded medical schools than to set up a new one that won't train any doctors in the next three years."
Verrall used the policy announcement to criticise National for its record on health, with the party's election attack line: "Coalition of Cuts".
She said: "There is still so much to do. We understand things are still hard for many New Zealanders, but we are starting to move the dial and with the worst of the pandemic over, we’re free to drive our plan forward at a greater speed."
Hipkins suggested his party "have a job to finish" in the health sector.
"Labour has invested heavily in our health system. We have a job to finish and ensuring we have the staff we need is top of our list of priorities for our next term."
'Just not credible' - National leader
Christopher Luxon was asked for his reaction to Labour's announcement this afternoon.
"It's just not credible or believable — 31 days out from the election — they have a massive idea about how to grow the workforce in New Zealand for health, which has been under so much pressure and stress for six years," he told media.
"We have 360 New Zealand students studying medicine in Australia because this Government over the last six years didn't open up enough medical places."
He reiterated National's plan to build a third medical school.
"The next best time to open up a third medical school is tomorrow. It would have been great to have had it six years ago so that we're not having this conversation today."
SHARE ME