“Primary Care sustainability remains a core challenge for our workforce and it’s disappointing to see that Budget 24
provides little to remedy the immediate situation,” says THINK Hauora CEO Amarjit Maxwell.
“Capitation funding for frontline health care has not kept up with inflation. Coupled with rising costs, and
increasingly complex patient needs, many practices are struggling to keep the doors open,” she says.
“The knock-on effects of these pressures over the next year means that our population will have less access to the
frontline healthcare services in their communities, and more people will end up in emergency departments, adding
pressure to our stretched hospital services.”
“While we were pleased to see more funding for child and youth mental health services, it was disappointing to see
removal of free prescriptions for many,” she said.
THINK Hauora is committed to achieving Pae ora (healthy futures) and together with our alliance partners, we continue to
advocate for equitable, accessible, cohesive and people-centred primary care to achieve the best outcomes in our rohe.”
she says.
More information:
THINK Hauora is a Primary Health Organisation (PHO) that provides primary healthcare services to the North Island’s
mid-central region. This includes the Manawatū, Horowhenua and Tararua localities, Palmerston-North city and Kapiti
(Ōtaki).