District boards scrapped in favour of centralised body to tackle ‘postcode lottery’ effect, and Māori Health Authority established
The New Zealand government has announced radical changes to its health system, including abolishing 20 district health boards in favour of a single national body, similar to Britain’s National Health Service. The government is also establishing a national body for indigenous healthcare, in an attempt to improve enduring racial inequities in the system.
The changes, announced by health minister Andrew Little on Wednesday morning, will reshape the country’s health system, which has been under stress for some time. When the Jacinda Ardern-led Labour government came into power, it commissioned a system-wide review. It found major racial inequities, chronic under-resourcing, and variable quality of care across categories, including mental health and disability. The health system has been known by citizens as the “postcode lottery”, as access to care can depend on which district health board (DHB) you fall under.
Continue reading...from The Guardian https://ift.tt/32xk2IR
via
0 Comments