Association of Salaried Medical SpecialistsThursday 20 May 2010, 6:01PM
Media release from Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists
"The Budget's health funding is expected to lead to cuts in
health services," said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.
"Funding for district health boards is short by at least $100
million of what is needed to maintain existing services at their
existing level, let alone improving services."
"It also appears that DHB deficits will be tightly managed placing
even more pressure on the health system and health professionals to
maintain good standards of patient of care."
"Senior doctors are committed to working with DHBs and government
in improving the clinical and financial effectiveness of health
services. But drastically reducing the rate of
increased funding will put the system under immense pressure with
the increased risk of DHBs adopting short-sighted decisions without
sufficient regard to longer-term patient outcomes."
"It is going to be tough year for patients and for senior doctors
struggling to provide them with accessible quality health care"
concluded Mr Powell