Health New Zealand cuts key funding
Health New Zealand to axe funding for a vital South Taranaki Kaiawhina (navigator) role.
From June, vulnerable South Taranaki patients will no longer have access to targeted, wraparound comprehensive care support.
Ngāti Ruanui Tahua general manager Graham Young said the role was a vital part of Ngāti Ruanui Healthcare’s continued commitment to providing comprehensive care to the community and GP practices.
“This is not about Health New Zealand trimming the fat.
“You cannot dump funding for frontline staff, creating positive and lasting change to our wider community, and think you can get away with undermining this service responsibly.
“The government’s role in supporting Māori services is not an act of generosity.
“It’s a legal mandate based on treaty rights.
“This appears to be, yet another roll axed based purely on ideological and political motives rather than facts.
“How they hope to justify this is beyond me.”
Mr Young said the service led to better health outcomes, such as reduced hospitalisations, improved quality of life, and increased life expectancy.
“Navigating the health system, coordinating appointments, and managing medications as you grapple with your health can be mentally and physically exhausting.
“Our kaiawhina work alongside various other healthcare professionals and services to ensure the best possible health outcomes for our most vulnerable patients.
“It’s about cultivating positive, lasting relationships between your GP, your specialists, and any health provider.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui Trust kaiwhakahaere Rachel Arnott said Health New Zealand was gambling with lives of South Taranaki’s most vulnerable.
“The Government promised its cuts would not impact frontline services, clearly that was a lie.
“I wish I could say I am surprised by this. Sadly, this is how this coalition government rolls.
“We’re operating with very little confidence that this Government will ever honour Tiriti-guaranteed rights of iwi, hapū and whānau.”
Mr Young said Ngati Ruanui Healthcare was exploring all possible options to ensure existing patients continued to get the support they needed.