Articles tagged with Associate Health Minister

Te Kūiti Hospital Celebrates 100 Years: Rural Healthcare Milestone

1 week ago | 103 views

Te Kūiti Hospital celebrates its 100-year anniversary, highlighting the crucial role of rural hospitals in providing local healthcare, as emphasized by Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey. The hospital serves over 14,000 people, offering emergency care, specialist clinics, and allied health support, reducing the need for locals to travel long distances for healthcare. The government is investing in rural healthcare improvements, including $164 million to enhance urgent and after-hours care, with Te Kūiti Hospital being a prototype site for innovative trials shaping rural health services nationwide.

Tags: Te Kūiti Hospital Health Minister Simeon Brown Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey rural hospitals healthcare rural communities New Zealanders rural health services medical school rural New Zealanders

Pharmac's Reset Programme Progress: 90-Day Action Plan Completion and Consumer Engagement

1 week ago | 132 views

Pharmac's Reset Programme, part of a five-year plan, is progressing well with the completion of the first 90-day action plan, focusing on transparency and accountability in funding decisions for pharmaceuticals. Associate Health Minister David Seymour emphasizes the importance of involving patients, families, and clinicians in decision-making processes to improve the patient-Pharmac relationship. The Consumer and Patient Working Group, chaired by Dr. Malcolm Mulholland, plays a key role in providing insight and practical advice to ensure the programme reflects consumer needs, values, and perspectives, with ongoing plans to enhance patient engagement and communication strategies.

Tags: Pharmac’s Reset Programme Associate Health Minister David Seymour New Zealanders pharmaceuticals Consumer Engagement Workshops Dr Malcolm Mulholland Consumer and Patient Working Group Budget bids Consumer Advisory Committee

Strengthening Rural Health on the West Coast: Ministers Engage with Greymouth Community

1 month ago | 183 views

Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Patterson are visiting Greymouth as part of the Rural Health Roadshow to address healthcare challenges in geographically spread-out communities like the West Coast. Budget 2025 allocated $164 million to enhance urgent and after-hours care, aiming to ensure 98% of New Zealanders can reach urgent care within an hour. The Government is dedicated to removing geographic barriers to healthcare access, focusing on strengthening mental health and rural healthcare outcomes for all New Zealanders, especially those in rural communities like Greymouth.

Tags: Matt Doocey Mark Patterson Associate Health Minister Rural Health Minister for Rural Communities Greymouth Roadshow Budget 2025 New Zealanders Mental Health

New Zealand’s Emergency Services Boosted by Digital Technology for Rapid Location of At-Risk Individuals

2 months ago | 593 views

New Zealand's emergency services are implementing the Device Location Information (DLI) service to quickly locate individuals at risk without them having to call 111, enhancing response times in critical situations. The DLI technology allows emergency services to track mobile phones in emergencies, aiding search and rescue operations and assisting in health emergencies by locating individuals who may have fallen unconscious during a call. This new system streamlines the process by eliminating the need for manual requests to mobile network operators, ensuring quicker and more efficient emergency responses while maintaining privacy and transparency through rigorous authorization processes.

Tags: New Zealand emergency services digital technology Police Minister Mark Mitchell Associate Health Minister Casey Costello Device Location Information real time search and rescue operations health emergencies Telecommunications Information Privacy Code

Rural Health Roadshow Gathers Momentum in Kaitaia with Ministers Doocey and Patterson

3 months ago | 479 views

Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Patterson are conducting a rural health roadshow across New Zealand, currently in Kaitaia, to engage with rural communities and health professionals. The roadshow aims to gather feedback on the Rural Health Strategy, address healthcare challenges, and explore opportunities for improving access and outcomes in rural areas. The Government's commitment to strengthening rural health care includes increased funding for urgent and after-hours care, advancements in surgical services like total knee replacements in Kaitaia, and investments in mental health support through expanded services and the Rural Wellbeing Fund.

Tags: Matt Doocey Mark Patterson Associate Health Minister Rural Health Mental Health Rural Communities Rural Health Strategy Government Healthcare New Zealanders

Government Revokes Vaping Battery Rule Amid Court Challenge

3 months ago | 738 views

The Government is revoking 2023 regulations mandating removable batteries in vaping devices to address a court challenge by Mason Corporation Limited. Cabinet decided this action would resolve the case, allowing withdrawal of proceedings related to regulations introduced by the previous Labour government. The change will be implemented on September 1, eliminating the requirement for removable batteries in vaping devices, with no anticipated adverse effects on smoking or vaping rates due to prior legislation banning disposable vapes popular among youth.

Tags: Government regulations vaping devices removeable batteries court challenge Mason Corporation Limited Associate Health Minister Casey Costello Labour government gazetted disposable vapes

Rural Health Roadshow: Minister Doocey Engages with Communities to Enhance Healthcare Services

4 months ago | 683 views

Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Rural Health and Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey is in Gore today for the rural health roadshow happening across the country. “The rural health roadshow is an opportunity for me to hear direct feedback from the public and those who are working in rural health about what’s working well and where the barriers may be. The roadshow is also a great opportunity to hear how well the Rural Health Strategy is being implemented,” Mr Doocey says.

Tags: Matt Doocey Associate Health Minister Rural Health Minister for Mental Health Gore Roadshow Rural Health Strategy Budget 2025 Primary Care Fieldays