The National Party has promised longer post-natal stays, free continuous glucose monitors for children with type 1 diabetes and more training places for psychiatrists and clinical psychologists if elected to power at the election.
The policies would cost a total of $134.3 million over four years, according to National's policy document. Its overall health policy initiatives would cost $1.2 billion over four years.
The announcement comes as part of the release of the party's policy document Better Health Outcomes, which includes other health announcements the party has made, such as providing access to 13 currently-unfunded cancer treatments.
National health spokesman Dr Shane Reti said the policy was "not about ideology or bureaucracy", but about practical measures that would improve the way the health system worked.
Both parties took turns appealing to older voters at the same retirement village. (Source: 1News)
He said despite a $29.7 billion spend on health this year, outcomes in the health system had gone "backwards" under Labour with longer wait times, "plunging" immunisation rates, and an exhausted health workforce.
“I am dismayed by the reports I regularly receive from health workers and patients about their experiences.
“The health system can work so much better than it does. It has dedicated, professional staff who need a government that knows how to get things done."
He said a National government would deliver a strong economy to allow investment in public services, like a "world-class health system" with lower waiting times and better maternal services.
“Many women do not realise they are already entitled to a 48-hour stay in a post-natal facility after the birth of their baby, and at times feel pressured to leave early.
“National will invest an additional $19 million a year to extend free postnatal stays to three days and ring-fence this funding to ensure those who want it, receive their full entitlement."
He said that was on top of the party's commitment to make student loan repayments of up to $4500 a year for midwives and nurses who stayed working in their profession after graduation, a measure aimed at helping boost the health workforce.
National also pledged to provide free Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) to children and adolescents under the age of 18 with Type 1 diabetes, he said.
He said there were between 15,000 and 25,000 people in New Zealand with the condition which was usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence.
"It is a devastating diagnosis for a family, but CGMs have revolutionised diabetes management, reducing the risk of long-term complications.
“National will allocate $5.2 million a year to give kids free access to this modern technology to manage their diabetes and, at the same time, provide savings worth up to $50 a week for a family with a diabetic child.”
National mental health spokesman Matt Doocey said his party would train more psychiatrists by increasing the number of psychiatric registrar places to 50 a year on average (up from around 37) and double the number of clinical psychologists being trained each year from 40 to 80 over the next four years.
It was aimed at meeting an acute shortage in mental health professionals, he said.
“To help meet the acute shortage of mental health professionals, National will train more
“This will be a significant investment into the mental health workforce which has been forgotten about by this Labour Government.”
National's health policy
According to the party, these are the key parts of its health policy:
Setting health targets aimed at delivering "better, faster and more reliable" healthcare, including faster cancer treatment, improved immunisations and shorter stays in emergency departments
Funding 13 new cancer treatments and speeding up approvals of new medicines
Improving cancer management for breast, ovarian, bowel, and prostate cancer
Extending free postnatal stays for all mothers of new-born babies to three days
Providing free continuous glucose monitors to type 1 diabetics aged under 18
Delivering more nurses, midwives, doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists to reduce wait times and improve health outcomes
Funding community organisations like Gumboot Friday to increase access to mental health services
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