Health funding review

Press, 24 September 1988, Page 18

Health funding review

By

SARAH SANDS

A review of the organisation and funding of medical and health research in New Zealand was announced by the Minister of Health, Mr Caygill. New Zealand had an international reputation in the field of biomedical research and the Medical Research Council, through which most health research funding was channelled, was well recognised both locally and overseas, said Mr Caygill. "But we cannot rest on our laurels. We have to be confident that our research dollars are being invested in work that will be of maximum benefit to New Zealand society as a whole.” Three consultants have been appointed to make the review. They are Professor David Stewart, dean of medicine at the

Otago University Medical School; Mr Bernie Mackay, a health management consultant, of Australia; and Dr Claudia Scott, a reader in economics at Victoria University of Wellington. They have been asked to review the organisation and funding of biomedical and health research including the research functions of the Medical Research Council, the Health Department, public hospitals, and universities. Mr Caygill said he expected the consultants to report back in the New Year. The director of the Medical Research Council, Dr Jim Hodge, yesterday welcomed the review. “It is a timely review — it has been 50 years since our act was written and lots of things have happened since then.”