Budget includes funding to improve health care in NZ
Budget 2023 contained a raft of new initiatives. Whether you think it is a ‘no frills’ budget, like Labour are positioning it, or a ‘blow-out budget’ like the opposition have dubbed it, here’s some highlights related to health, privacy and FMA spending.
• Budget figures include more than $1 billion to increase health workforce pay rates and boost staff numbers. Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall says the spending will allow for more responsive training pathways, increased recruitment and improved immigration processes to ease workforce shortages. Initiatives to focus on primary and community care to reduce pressure on hospitals and reduce wait lists are included.
• Health spending allows for 500 new nurses to be employed.
• The Budget allocates $20 million to establish outreach services to lift immunisation and screening coverage for Māori and Pacific peoples
• The Office of the Privacy Commissioner receives additional funding in the Budget, for an additional FTE in the Office of the Privacy Commissioner to continue support for agencies in meeting their minimum Privacy Act 2020 obligations.
• The Budget scraps $5 co-payment for prescription medicines from July, welcome news for the more than 135,000 adults did not collect their prescription because of cost in 2021‑22.
• Richard Klipin has welcomed news the government is allocating $19.6 million to match KiwiSaver ‘employer’ contributions to people taking paid parental leave, but is calling for a proper review of KiwiSaver settings.
• In a savings initiative, the Financial Markets Authority is returning $3 million of unspent funding held in the Financial Markets Authority Litigation Fund.
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