September 29, 2020
Mobile dental clinics in Labour’s health pledge
The Labour Party is promising to expand mental health services to young people, undertake more planned care including elective surgeries, fund more medicines and provide targeted dental support to those who need it.
Health spokesperson Chris Hipkins says over the past three years it has invested a record $3 billion extra into DHBs, allocated $3.5 billion to fix run down hospitals, hired more nurses and doctors and made the largest ever investment in mental health services.
Fighting COVID-19 has also cost $2 billion in health spending and demonstrated the need to keep investing in rebuilding the health system.
The maximum grant for emergency oral health care, which has stayed at $300 for more than two decades, will increase to $1000, in line with a recommendation from the Welfare Expert Advisory Group.
There will also be $37.5 million for 20 more full service mobile dental clinics.
Mr Hipkins says Māori children access dental services at lower rates than Pākehā children, leading to worse dental outcomes, so mobile clinics that visit schools is one way to ensure all children access dental care equitably.
Labour intends to implement recommendations from the Simpson review of health and disability services, including fewer DHBs, an increased focus on equity, a Māori Health Authority that will focus on Māori health, an aged care commissioner and a Public Health Agency that will more closely link the country's 12 public health units.
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