$26m boost to rural health

The remaining of the New Zealand Upgrade Programme investment will be dispersed into three other areas: $83 million towards child and maternal health, $96 million for mental health and addiction, and $75 million towards upgrading hospital facilities. 

The government has also added a contingency of $20 million.

“This Government has made real progress rebuilding and strengthening our hospitals and public health services,” says health minister David Clark.

“In fact, we’ve invested more into upgrading our hospitals in our first two budgets ($2.45 billion) than the previous government managed in nine years. That’s a reflection both of the scale of the challenges we inherited, and the importance this Government places on health and wellbeing.

“Today we’re announcing further investment of $300 million into areas we know will make a real difference to people’s lives.

“That’s particularly true in child and maternal health, which will receive an $83 million capital boost.

“The Prime Minister’s ambition is to make New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child. To support that, we’re investing in expanded neonatal intensive care to help our most vulnerable new-borns, and in maternity care for expectant mothers.”