What we're doing in health
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system.
Our health system is under serious pressure after years of neglect and under-investment. Mental health, investment in nurses and doctors and funding for cancer treatment have been neglected.
New Zealanders deserve better.
That's why one of our main priorities as a Government has been a major overhaul of our healthcare system: rebuilding hospitals, boosting funding of much-needed services, and making sure those working on the frontline are getting proper support.
Take a look at some of the things we've achieved below - it's just the start.
Nationwide
- Started to rollout out a free, nationwide, frontline mental health service
- Announced our Cancer Action Plan – so everyone battling cancer in New Zealand can get the best possible care, no matter where they live
- Funded new cancer treatment equipment like radiation machines and new cancer drugs
- Invested in fixing rundown hospitals including completely rebuilding Dunedin hospital
- Better funded District Health Boards to keep pace with population growth
- Made doctors' visits cheaper
- Made GP visits free for under 14-year-olds
- Announced a new Suicide prevention office to coordinate work already underway to reduce New Zealand’s historically high rate of suicide
- Better funded our ambulance service
- Extended the nurses in schools programme
- Boosted PHARMAC funding
- Announced plans to pay family carers what they deserve
- Taken a health approach to the misuse of drugs while going hard on dealers and organised crime.
Regional health milestones
Northland
- New endoscopy and cardiac care facilities for Whangarei Hospital
- Bay of Islands Hospital redevelopment, meaning the Kawakawa facility is better placed to meet the needs of its community now and in years to come
- Te Ara Oranga pilot in Northland referring people addicted to drugs to mental health and addiction treatments
- Rolling out the Bowel screening programme in 2021
- All general practices in Northland have opted to provide lower-cost visit to patients with Community services cards
- New state-of-the-art cancer radiation treatment machine for the first time in Northland
- Piloting onsite mental health support services in Whangarei, Kamo and Kerikeri GPs.
Auckland
- Major funding to fix longstanding problems at Middlemore Hospital
- Investment in the Manukau Super Clinic including a new dental clinical training facility to improve access to dental care
- 120 additional elective surgery beds and four new operating theatres for North Shore Hospital
- New integrated stroke and rehabilitation unit for Auckland City Hospital
- Addressing significant infrastructure challenges at Auckland City Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre
- Improved acute dialysis and cardiac facilities at Middlemore
- Doubling the number of beds at Counties Manukau mental health unit Tiaho Mai
- Supporting Māori and Pacific communities to develop community-led initiatives against rheumatic fever
- A new linear accelerator radiation machine
- Rolled out the National Bowel Screening Programme to Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBs
- Launched new addiction treatment facilities for Auckland City Mission.
Waikato, Lakes District & Bay of Plenty
- Rolled out Bowel screening programme to the Lakes District in 2019, will roll out to Waikato and Bay of Plenty in 2021
- New service for pregnant women and parents battling mental health and drug and alcohol issues in the Eastern Bay of Plenty
- Disability support system pilot continuing in Waikato
- Piloting onsite free mental health support services in Tūrangi and Taupo Medical Centres
- New state-of-the-art cancer radiation treatment machines
- Holding the Waikato DHB board to account over poor finances and governances with an appointment of a new commissioner
- All general practices in Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Board areas are providing lower-cost visits to patients with Community services cards.
Tairawhiti & Hawke's Bay
- A mental health and addiction support facility at Tairawhiti DHB
- A new gastroenterology and endoscopy unit at Hawke's Bay Hospital
- Pilot Funding for a free kaupapa Māori provider in Tairāwhiti to provide mental health support for patients via their local doctor’s clinic
- Earthquake strengthening for Hawke's Bay Hospital
- New state-of-the-art cancer radiation treatment machine for the first time in Hawke's Bay
- Rolled out the National Bowel Screening Programme to Hawke's Bay, will roll out to Tairawhiti in 2020
- All general practices in Tairawhiti and Hawke's Bay have opted to provide lower-cost visits to patients with Community services cards.
Mid Central, Whanganui and Taranaki
- Trialing a new system that will make it easier for people with disabilities to access supports in Mid Central
- New state-of-the-art cancer radiation treatment machine for the first time in Taranaki
- Rolled out the National Bowel Screening Programme to Whanganui and MidCentral
- All general practices in Whanganui have opted to provide lower-cost visit to patients with Community services cards.
Wellington & Wairarapa
- New purpose-built and secure six-unit mental health facility in Porirua for patients with an intellectual disability and or mental health diagnosis
- State of the art children's hospital in Wellington
- Free youth mental health pilot for 18 to 25-year-olds in Porirua, now expanded to Capital & Coast DHB and tertiary institutions throughout Wellington, Hutt and Wairarapa
- New state of the art cancer radiation treatment machines
- Rolled out Bowel Screening Programme to Hutt Valley and Wairarapa, rolling out to Capital and Coast in 2020
- All general practices in Hutt Valley and Wairarapa, have opted to provide lower-cost visit to patients with Community services cards.
West Coast Tasman & Nelson/Marlborough
- A new modern, purpose-designed health facility for the people of Buller in Westport
- Rolled out Bowel Screening Programme in Nelson and Marlborough
- Cheaper visits for Community Services Cardholders at all West Coast DHB GPs.
Canterbury
- Mental health support for all Year 1-8 children in Canterbury and Kaikoura through our Mana Ake programme
- New mental health facilities for Hillmorton in Christchurch
- Renewable energy for Christchurch hospital – improving resilience and environmental sustainability
- New state-of-the-art cancer radiation treatment machines
- Rolling out Bowel Screening Programme in 2020 to Canterbury and South Canterbury DHBs
- All General Practices in South Canterbury have opted to provide lower-cost visit to patients with Community services cards
- Disability support system trial in Christchurch to continue
- Extra mental health funding support services provided in the wake of the March 15 terror attacks.
Otago/Southland
- Rebuild of Dunedin Hospital, including the fast-tracking of an outpatient and day surgery building
- Funding boost for small community-run Maniototo Hospital in Ranfurly to help with a long-awaited rebuild
- Two new air ambulances
- Rolled out the National Bowel Screening Programme.