Public health ‘under-funded’

Press, 18 March 1989, Page 4

Public health ‘under-funded’

By SARAH SANDS Hospital and area health board service cuts to keep within budget are indications of serious underfunding of the public health system, says the Nurses Association. The association’s chief executive, Ms Gay Williams, said yesterday that it was not good enough for the Government to tell boards to manage with existing allocations when services were already being severely rationed. “We can no longer say that health services in New Zealand are affordable, accessible, appropriate and

available — they are not,” said Ms 1 Williams. 1 The association was concerned ■ that the continuing downward trend , meant that there were fewer nurses who were having to work longer , and harder, she said. “They are becoming demoralised J in a system that does not seem to care about wards closing and waiti ing lists growing longer,” said Ms ; Williams. “There is, and will be, very real i threats to the standards of care and - the services provided to the public I if the Government continues to

refuse to meet its social obligations.” This was one reason why health workers had taken industrial action last month, she said. “With the majority of boards making further cuts to balance their books, health services will continue to be further rationed and eroded. “In a country that has always prided Itself on the quality of its health service this attack on the public health system must be seen as part of a wider lack of commitment by the Government,” said Ms Williams.