Election Policy Announcements Expected In Aged Residential Care
The major political parties are expected to tell more than 300 aged residential care providers tomorrow how they propose
to resolve the crisis in the health care sector.
HealthCare Providers holds its conference at Sky City in Auckland on Tuesday 9 August and expects each party to take the
opportunity to announce their policies relating to aged residential care.
NZ First, represented by Jim Peters, is expected to receive a warm reception after leader Winston Peters in a speech to
Grey Power on Friday 5 August outlined three commitments to address the aged residential care crisis.
Pete Hodgson will be expected to explain how much of the $71 million promised to aged residential care in the budget he
believes should be passed over to providers in light of (a) his post budget clarifications which indicate that half the
money is to correct a funding mistake from the last year and considering the money can be used by DHBs for other
purposes, and (b) DHBNZ’s inability to say how much they will pass on in the current contract negotiation round.
Paul Hutchison will need to tell delegates what National is willing to do for the sector and provide some specific
remedies for the crisis. Delegates expect that National as a potential ‘government in waiting’ will have answers to
providers questions about their plans for the health budget and their plans for aged residential care.
United Future will be represented by Judy Turner and providers will be hoping that this party which has given support to
the sector in the past few months will announce some policy details that will address the present funding crisis.
Each political party has a 30-minute session at the conference to make their policy announcements and take questions
from delegates.