Public Not Fooled By Minister Playing with Numbers

New Zealanders can look forward to slower, less convenient and more costly health care with District Health Boards facing an almost $200 million shortfall, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says.

Tony Ryall is boasting that Health received around a third of all new operating funding in Budget 2013.

“Health always gets a big chunk of budget spending and it has to if it is to keep up with the growing demands of an ever-increasing population, both young and old.

“What Mr Ryall has conveniently forgotten to tell Kiwis is that they are in for a tough year with no money in the kitty to cover increasing DHB costs. They are getting less than they need to just survive.

“Either Mr Ryall will have to open his second cheque book to top up that shortfall or DHBs will have to cut services, bill patients, or go into debt.

“He has also made some grand statements about $35.5 million of new funding for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which he points out are our ‘fastest-growing long-term conditions’.

“What he is not saying, however, is that the funding decreases over the next four years, when the number of people with diabetes is expected to reach epidemic proportions. There is no mention of obesity.

“He has also banked almost $200 million in ‘savings’ that haven’t yet been made.

“Mr Ryall seems intent on trying to fool most of the people all of the time. He isn’t. He is fiddling with figures and not fooling anyone.”

ENDS

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