Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

$20 million boost for hospices

Hon Tony Ryall

National Party
Health spokesman

Media Release

13 August 2014

$20 million boost for hospices

National’s Health spokesman Tony Ryall today announced the National-led Government will invest an extra $20 million a year to provide more hospice palliative care services for New Zealanders.

Mr Ryall made the announcement at Nelson Tasman Hospice with Prime Minister John Key and local Nelson MP Nick Smith.

“Hospices make a huge difference to people's lives by ensuring terminally ill people are as free from pain and suffering as possible. They also provide care and support for families and friends,” says Mr Ryall.

“Last year more than 15,000 people received care and support from hospice services throughout New Zealand and hospice staff made over 145,000 visits to people in their homes. Just over 20 per cent of people using hospice services were aged under 60 and three-quarters had a cancer related disease.

“As our population ages, more and more people will need palliative care. This funding boost includes $13 million to help the country’s 29 hospices expand their community palliative care services into better supporting terminally ill people at home and in aged care facilities.

“We will also invest $7 million to create 60 new palliative care nurse specialist and educator roles. These nurses will provide training, mentoring and hands on support for staff across aged residential care, GP practices and home-based support services.

Mr Ryall said the extra $20 million of funding each year from July 2015 is in addition to the extra $15 million a year from the Boost Hospice Care funding initiative announced in 2009.

This is part of the government’s plan to meet the changing needs of our aging population. Over the next 20 years the number of people over the age of 65 will double to 1.2 million people, and this will also mean increased numbers of people living with cancer.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.