Crashing New Zealand's health system is not the way to prosperity, Prime Minister

Support our doctors, nurses and hospitals before we go down the way of Britain's NHS

Another day, and yet another piece of bad news for New Zealand’s health system.

Reports have come out that General Practitioners (GP) may have to close doors, or increase patient fees to survive. The so-called ‘capitation’ funding review, which supports GP practices to survive, is under way, and primary care practitioners are concerned.

First, let's do a quick recap to examine our health system landscape since Prime Minister Luxon, Health Minister Shane Reti and Finance Minister Nicola Willis have taken over their porfolios.

In May 2024, MP for Whangarei, Shane Reti, was selling his Government's health credentials:

“Our Government has set ambitious targets for the health sector...(Our) budget prioritises frontline health services & workers.”

But just a month earlier, in April, a series of information leaks had already forced Health NZ to confirm it was directing all public hospitals save a total of $10…