Simeon Brown challenges Treasury over plans to cut health spending
Health Minister Simeon Brown has attacked Treasury officials over their analysis of his Health Delivery Plan, which said Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora will need to double its spending-cut target in the coming year and limit health workforce pay increases to an 'unprecedented' degree.
Health NZ told Treasury it
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RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Media in the middle of political skirmishes over sickness and health
Last weekend's Sunday Star Times digs into the political battleground of healthcare. Photo: Sunday Star Times Mediawatch : This week the latest Ipsos Issues Monitor survey showed 'inflation/cost of living' was - again - the top concern of Kiwis. No surprise there - or that 'healthcare/hospitals' was in second place. "It continues on its upward trend, reaching its highest level of concern (43 percent) since tracking began," Ipsos said. That - and the fact that more of those surveyed chose Labour as the party most capable of managing health - would have stood out for the government. The same is true of how the issue plays out in the media. Under the headline The political problem of health Health Minister Simeon Brown told the Sunday Star-Times last weekend the job "matters to every New Zealander from the moment they're born to the moment they die. It's a huge responsibility, but there's also significant opportunity." He'd just announced an opportunity for private hospitals - instructing Health NZ to make long-term deals with them for elective surgeries. "We haven't been ideological about it, we've been focusing on pragmatic solutions to ... maximise what's delivered both in the public and private system," Brown told Newstalk ZB the same day. The next day, New Zealand Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan reported official papers showed Treasury reckoned further cuts to health would be needed to meet the demands of the government's health delivery plan. But that didn't come up when the prime minister appeared that day on Newstalk ZB for his regular Monday morning chat. The host Mike Hosking said he couldn't agree more when the PM said people don't care who's doing their long awaited op when they are staring at the hospital ceiling. But then Hosking told the prime minister about an interview last week with a Christchurch surgeon who works in both the public and the private systems. "We need to be more flexible in public (hospitals). They even come round at one o'clock and say it looks like you'll finish after 4 or 4.30, so we won't let you do your second case," Chris Wakeman told Hosking last week. "You wouldn't close your factory at 4 o'clock if you still had work to do," he added. Later, Mike Hosking read out a text from an unnamed listener who claimed nurses and anaesthetic technicians insist operating stops early if it looks like it's going to go past 4pm. The following day Mike Hosking asked Brown if surgeries that might overrun 4pm were routinely postponed. "Look, there are heavily unionised contractual arrangements in the public system and so you do end up with inefficiencies throughout the system. Those issues need to be dealt with by Health New Zealand to make sure that it is more efficient," Brown replied. "These union agreements ... drive inefficiency and a lack of productivity. These are issues that do need to be resolved as part of (Health New Zealand) negotiations with the unions." Health Minister Simeon Brown Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER "Absolutely not. The limits are more about management decisions on staffing costs, availability of recovery beds and how to distribute operating theatres between acute and elective work," Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists told Mediawatch . "The barrier to providing more elective surgeries is a refusal to pay staff required to work longer hours ... and inability to provide sufficient staff to run our operating theatres to their maximum capacity." "We don't have anything in place that would stand in the way of doctors opting to work in a different work pattern or longer hours. And in fact, many of them frequently do. "Typically surgeons and anaesthetists work 10 hour days. A number of hospitals sometimes run what are sometimes called twilight theatres in the early evening or on weekends. "I don't think the way that the discussion has been presented is entirely fair - and it is somewhat misleading. "It is concerning to us that 'private' is seen as the answer when in fact they are already near capacity for what they can do. And we also have significant doctor shortages." Sarah Dalton Photo: LDR / Stuff / Kevin Stent Hosking [ returned to the issue] with Health NZ's Chief Clinical Officer Dr Richard Sullivan on Thursday. He said the proportion of "early finishes" in theatres doing elective surgery is declining - and under the government's 'elective boost' programme they had been doing some surgeries on Saturdays and Sundays too. "It's more than just the unions. You'd need a quite a big workforce to run full Saturday lists all the time. That's not to say we shouldn't look at that, but we need the most efficient way of getting people through our theatres," Dr Sullivan said. Hosking told his listeners the bottom line in public hospitals was: "If it's 4:30, we're going home." There's a bit more to it than that. While there is some extra capacity in theatres, many more people would have to be paid for more hours to do more out-of-business-hours. They don't have all the staff to do a lot more of elective surgeries, in either public or private hospitals And as the Herald' s Thomas Coughlan reported earlier this week, Treasury reckoned the Health Delivery Plan targets could mean increased spending cut targets in the year ahead. Health workforce pay increases would be limited to a degree described as "unprecedented," Treasury documents also stated. In the Herald , Brown rejected Treasury's conclusions. He said government provided Health NZ additional funding in three successive Budgets and Treasury had not consulted the Ministry of Health or Health NZ before reaching its conclusions. "Why do we still have 10 days' sick leave?" Hosking also asked the PM last Monday. He said the question had been put to him by "my tech guy" working at his house. The tech guy got a headline-making response on that from the nation's leader. "So we had five sick days until Jacinda [Ardern] decided we needed ten for Covid. Can we agree that it's gone-ish - and therefore we might need to do something about sick leave?" Hosking asked. "We might need to do things about pro rata and sick leave as well, because you know, people who are on part time contracts are getting full-time 10-day equivalency. Brook Van Velden is working through some of those issues," Luxon replied. The possibility of that went straight into Newstalk ZB's news bulletins. When the prime minister did his turn on RNZ's Morning Report soon after that, he was asked if he would support a cut in sick leave. "Well, I think there's probably a need for us to look at it ... and just make sure that we've got that setting right," he replied. ZB's political editor Jason Walls was puzzled. "Sick leave is an entitlement that everybody has. So it's not just some beltway story. It is an interesting thing for the Prime Minister to bring up. It was just Mike's mate that was talking about it." But Mike's mates behind the mic at Newstalk ZB were teed up to talk about sick leave all day. "A very strong hint that 10 days of sick leave might be going the way of the dodo," was Kerre Woodham's take when she followed the Mike Hosking Breakfast . "I get that it's a godsend if you are prone to infections during winter, but really spare a thought for the employers." Employers such as perhaps Nick Mills, a hospo guy in the capital who's also the host of Wellington Mornings on Newstalk ZB. "I go with the flow. But I'm in an industry where people take the absolute mickey," Mills told his listeners in the capital. "They're just teasing it a bit at the moment on the fact that it's going to be for only part- time employees, but that's going to change," he said. One hour later they were hearing more on this on ZB in Canterbury from the local host, John MacDonald. When Matt Heath and Tyler Adams took the ZB mic for the full national ZB network at noon, they had a similar sense of what was common sense. "10 days a year? Does the average person walking around need 10 sick days a year? I don't think so," Heath said. The questions for the workplace relations minister Brooke van Velden followed. On ThreeNews and Checkpoint she batted back questions about whether it was a gender issue. She was also taken aback that this was a talking point at all. "The only reason we're talking about this is because Mike Hosking was talking about it this morning. There was nothing from the government side to say we had an announcement to make," she told ThreeNews . In the end it will be months before all this is fully aired in Parliament, long after Mike Hosking's tech guy first put it on the agenda. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Strong Interest In New Programme For Overseas-Trained Doctors
Minister of Health A total of 180 overseas-trained doctors have expressed interest in a new Government-funded training programme aimed at boosting New Zealand's primary care workforce, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. 'New Zealand needs more doctors – particularly in primary and rural healthcare care settings – and this Government is taking action to make that happen,' Mr Brown says. 'That's why we've launched a new two-year training programme to support up to 100 additional overseas-trained doctors across the country.' Announced in March, the programme supports qualified international doctors to become registered in New Zealand, with a particular focus on those wanting to enter general practice roles – creating a clear pathway for doctors already in the country and ready to contribute to our health system. 'It makes no sense that overseas-trained doctors already living here, ready and willing to work in primary care, are held back simply due to a lack of supported clinical training opportunities. We are changing that.' Applications for the programme closed on 31 May, with 184 expressions of interest received – well exceeding the number of places available. The first group of 10 overseas-trained doctors will begin in Waikato this July, with Health New Zealand currently working to match the remaining placement locations with district and primary care providers. 'This strong response shows the scale of untapped potential in New Zealand. These doctors are eager to work where they are most needed – and this Government is opening the door for them to do so. 'I've also requested advice from Health New Zealand on how to provide clear, structured pathways for doctors who have passed the NZREX to begin practising under limited scopes while they wait for a placement in general practice training. 'This is part of our broader plan to strengthen primary and rural healthcare and ensure New Zealanders get timely access to the care they need, no matter where they live,' Mr Brown says. Notes: Cohort timing and planned numbers July 2025 Cohort - 10 October 2025 Cohort - 30 January 2026 Cohort - 40 April 2026 Cohort - 20 This investment is part of the Government's comprehensive primary care package announced earlier this year, including: Increased access to urgent and after-hours care Recruitment incentives for up to 400 graduate nurses annually for five years 100 additional doctor training places over the course of this Government Up to 50 graduate doctors training in primary care annually Up to 120 training places for nurse practitioners in primary care Accelerated tertiary education for up to 120 primary care nurses A $285 million uplift to funding over three years for general practice from 1 July, in addition to the capitation uplift general practice receives annually Better access to 24/7 digital services.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
New Day Stay Unit At Starship Children's Hospital Will Increase Capacity
Minister of Health Health Minister Simeon Brown today officially opened the new Athlae Lyon Day Stay Unit at Starship Children's Hospital, marking a major milestone in the ongoing redevelopment of New Zealand's largest children's hospital. 'Starship plays a critical role in caring for our most vulnerable children, not just from Auckland but from right across New Zealand. It provides lifesaving care and specialist services that families depend on during some of the most challenging times they will face,' Mr Brown says. 'This new, purpose-built medical day stay unit is a significant step toward delivering the modern, fit-for-purpose health services that children and their families deserve. 'It offers a dedicated, child-friendly space for procedures that don't require an overnight stay – such as infusions, allergy testing, medical reviews for chronic conditions, and sleep studies. The bright, welcoming environment is designed to support a positive experience for both patients and their families.' The new unit replaces a much smaller area that accommodated just three procedure chairs, nearly tripling capacity to six chairs along with two flexible rooms that can be used for sleep studies or as isolation spaces when infection control is required. 'Shifting appropriate procedures to this new day stay unit will help hospital teams work more efficiently, allowing more children to receive timely care with fewer delays caused by inpatient bed shortages – leading to shorter wait times and improved access to essential treatments for children and their families. 'At the same time, freeing up inpatient beds will ensure those requiring acute or planned overnight care have access to the space they need - enabling the hospital to use its capacity more effectively, improving care for all patients. 'I know that hospital visits can be stressful for children and their families. This new unit is designed with their wellbeing in mind, helping to ease that stress through a more supportive environment, and providing smarter, more efficient care – ensuring every child receives the right treatment, at the right time,' Mr Brown says. Note: Starship provides complex medical, surgical, cardiac, and mental health services for children and young people across New Zealand and the South Pacific, with nearly 130,000 patient visits each year. The Athlae Lyon Day Stay Unit is a key part of the broader project to modernise and significantly expand Starship's facilities by 2026. The redevelopment, which is set to add approximately 1300m2 of new functional space to the building, also includes an expanded national Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), new family rooms for PICU patients, a simulation suite, and additional space for staff training and support. The total cost of the project is $48 million, with $25 million provided by the Crown as part of the Health Infrastructure Package announced in late 2019, and $23 million contributed by the Starship Foundation.
