RWNZ want the details

Rural Women NZ is not averse to a national health service, but wants to see the detail.

“The Minister of Health, Andrew Little, in his announcement of sweeping changes to abolish DHBs and to have one health entity, said that ‘The kind of treatment people get will no longer be determined by where they live.’ We want to see that in practice,” national president Gill Naylor said.

“RWNZ expects to see a rural health and wellbeing strategy that is fully resourced and funded to ensure rural post codes aren’t in the losing lottery.

“It is our expectation that the detail will also include a solid mechanism for including the voice of rural women, children and communities in decision-making by the new national health service . . . Our expectation is that the outcome of these major changes is an equal playing field for the health and wellbeing needs of rural communities alongside that provided for our urban counterparts.”