Dr Lynda Scott National Health Spokeswoman

30 January 2004

PHO funding doesn't help Wairarapa health

Labour's Primary Health Organisation funding formula is contributing to Wairarapa children's chilling health and safety statistics, says National's Health spokeswoman Dr Lynda Scott.

This week the Wairarapa District Health Board released statistics showing the region's children have some of the worst health statistics in the country.

Dr Scott says if PHO funding formula were based on need, not race, the Wairarapa would receive more funding.

"Wairarapa's poor record shows it's in desperate need, but its people are being excluded from access to cheap healthcare because not enough Maori, Polynesians or very low socio-economic people live there.

"This is ridiculous - here is an area with an obvious need for increased primary care and alternative delivery of services, but they are not getting it because they have the wrong demographic statistics.

"A Karaka multi-millionaire can get higher subsidies just because they have a GP in the Papakura access PHO, whereas a family on a low income in Wairarapa must pay much higher fees because the Government's deemed there is not a high-enough proportion of Maori, Polynesians or very low socio-economic people living there.

"This is yet another example of Health Minister Annette King's regional race-based funding formula not working," says Dr Lynda Scott

Ends

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