Barbara Stewart MP

Spokesperson for Health
27 AUGUST 2015

National Dementia Plan Urgently Needed

The Ministry of Health has no plan to care for the 150,000 New Zealanders who are likely to have dementia by 2050, says New Zealand First.

“When questioned in Parliament today Health Minister Jonathan Coleman could only point to an outline for dementia care that does not go beyond 2017,” says Health Spokesperson Barbara Stewart.

“About 60,000 New Zealanders have dementia and the number is rising rapidly. But the government is ignoring this. It slashed the budget for national services for dementia by half this year and District Health Board dementia service budgets remain capped for another three years.

“The Minister needs to establish a national dementia plan now and ensure that budgets are able to meet the future need.

“Without a national plan New Zealand’s public health system will be unable to cope,” says Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

© Scoop Media