Tuesday, 27 April 2021 08:55

Don't forget us - RWNZ

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
RWNZ president Gill Naylor. RWNZ president Gill Naylor.

Don't forget rural communities in the proposed national health system, Rural Women New Zealand is telling the government.

RWNZ president Gill Naylor says while they are not averse to having a national health service, they are keen to see the detail.

"RWNZ expects to see a rural health and wellbeing strategy which is fully resourced and funded to ensure rural post codes aren't in the losing lottery," says Naylor.

Last week the Government announced it will abolish all 20 District Health Boards and create a single health organisation, in a sweeping plan to centralise New Zealand's fragmented healthcare system and end the "postcode lottery" of care.

Health Minister Andrew Little announced the creation of a national health organisation, akin to the United Kingdom's NHS, and also a Māori Health Authority with spending power, and a new Public Health Authority to centralise public health work.

"The reforms will mean that, for the first time, we will have a truly national health system, and the kind of treatment people get will no longer be determined by where they live," Little said.

Naylor says RWNZ wants to see Little's statement in practice.

"It is our expectation that the detail will also include a solid mechanism for including the voice of rural women, children and communities in decision-making be the new national health service.

"At the very least there should be both a rural impact and gender impact analysis done on the impacts of a national health service, before too much further work is done, to test if there will be any adverse impact on rural communities and women in particular.

"Our expectation is that the outcomes of these major changes is an equal playing field for the health and wellbeing needs of rural communities alongside that provided for our urban counterparts.

"We are looking forward to seeing the detail and hoping that rural women and children will not lose out on the health services," says Naylor.

More like this

Bridging the gap with rural New Zealand

OPINION: One thing I keep hearing from rural New Zealanders is the importance of relationships. Strong relationships don’t just happen - they take trust, consistency, and time.

RWNZ applauds hormone patch funding rethink

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) says it welcomes recently announced consultation on Pharmac’s funding of ostradiol patches used by women going through perimenopause and menopause.

Featured

National

Machinery & Products

Farming smarter with technology

The National Fieldays is an annual fixture in the farming calendar: it draws in thousands of farmers, contractors, and industry…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

110,000 visitors!

OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.

Sticky situation

OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter