The healthcare system in New Zealand is in a sad and sorry state – as evidenced by unacceptably long wait times in public hospital emergency rooms. The system has been degraded over time by under-investment and is facing increasing challenges.
These include an aging population, increasing medication costs, and an escalating number of lifestyle diseases due to a lack of focus on disease prevention. This means the general health of our population is at risk.
Government policies during the pandemic, like extended lockdowns, firing experienced unvaccinated health workers, COVID-19 vaccinations, and postponing surgeries, have increased stress on our already strained health system.
We will start correcting several decades of mismanagement by putting in place measures to prevent failed policies continuing to further harm people’s health.
Addressing the root causes of disease and better resourcing primary care can significantly improve our population’s health. We will seek to refocus our healthcare system around healthcare and not disease management with a purely pharmaceutical lens.
Acute medical and surgical care will remain a priority.
Read our full policy wording here - DEMOCRACYNZ POLICY: HEALTH
