Hon David Cunliffe
Minister of Health
20th October 2008 Media Statement
Government reforms aged care sector.
The Minister of Health David Cunliffe today announced an immediate $13 million injection to jump start the reform of the
Aged Care Sector.
The $13 million dollars will be spent in 2008-2009 as follows:
• $5 million will flow through District Health Boards to top up provider budgets to 3.3 per cent.
• Providers will be asked to pass this through to the workforce.
• A $4 million dollar investment by the DHBs in workforce development for the sector.
• A further $4 million dollar investment by the government to upskill carers in the sector to levels 2 and 3.
“I am confident that the District Health Boards will respond quickly to this initiative. I have made it clear to Health
Board CEOs that I am looking for implementation without delay.
The first steps of a strategic change programme in aged care that includes:
Initiatives will include:
• Appropriate levels of qualifications for carers across the sector from registered nurses to gerontology nurse
practitioners.
• A five year medium term programme to provide safe staffing levels encompassing these qualifications.
• The development of regulations to underpin these staffing requirements.
• Changes to improve the effectiveness and transparency of resthome audits including, spot checks, public audit
report summaries and Ministry/DHB oversight of the appointment of auditors to ensure perceived independence.
“I favour a staircased approach to workforce development that will see a five year plan leading to safer staffing
levels. We will establish a Ministerial Aged Residential Care Action group to oversee this.”
“The government will also be allocating $300,000 for the support and establishment of the Action Group. “
Mr Cunliffe said last year that government has committed to one of the largest investments in aged care funding with an
additional $150 million over four years to residential care and another $81.2 million so elderly can stay in their own
homes.
ends