Health Funding

The Ministry of Health today revealed more details of the $18 million fund for hundreds of ‘critical’ community pharmacies at part of the $92.6 million package the Government announced this week

The Government has revealed $18 million in funding will go to 365 "critical" community pharmacies as part of a $92.6 million package, but details - such as what constitutes a "critical" community pharmacy and how the financial support will be allocated- remain unclear

An Otago study estimates up to half of the daily activities of a pharmacy are carried out without remuneration. 

Pharmaceutical Society president Ian McMichael is not surprised Budget 2020 has nothing for pharmacy, and urges health authorities to fund pharmacy to do more for their communities

In a pre-Budget funding announcement earlier today, the Government announced $3.92 billion in extra funding for DHBs over the next four years, but Pharmaceutical Society president Ian McMichael is “sceptical” the pharmacy sector will benefit from it.  

Opposition health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse claims health minister David Clark has used creative accounting to make old funding seem new, while injecting little into the drug-funding agency’s now billion-dollar annual budget 

General Practice New Zealand is seeking targeted funding to support at-risk patients and to sustain general practice 

Green Cross Health and the Pharmacy Guild are urging the Govern­ment to waive the $5 dollar prescription copayment fee for vulnerable populations to ensure the delivery of an equitable response during the COVID-19 crisis

Funding community pharmacies to vaccinate pregnant women for pertussis (whooping cough) is likely to overcome some barriers to uptake by raising awareness of vaccines and increasing availability, a University of Auckland study has found

Government wallet snaps shut on urgent care and after-hours clinics – many are just weeks from closure