Editorial: Great news for health sector

Linda Hall, Assistant Editor, Hawke's Bay Today.

Cheaper GP visits and more money for our hospitals is by far the best thing that has come out of the Coalition Government's 2018 Budget.

That's fantastic news for families struggling to pay rent and put food on the table. Often when money is tight health is one of the things that suffers.

Doctor appointments are put off until things get far worse than they should have.
Hopefully it will also mean people will go to their GP instead of clogging up the Emergency Department.

It follows that if people get earlier intervention when it comes to their health, fewer beds will be needed.

Our health sector has been under immense pressure for far too long.

With winter on our doorstep it's a shame the cheaper visits don't start immediately. Instead we wait until the beginning of summer.

Seems a bit bizarre to me but I suppose there is lots of redtape and paperwork to get through before the help finally gets to the people.

Community midwives also get a boost bringing them into line with hospital-based midwives.

The other good news is that 6400 state houses will be built over the next four years.

Once again there's nothing for the average Joe Bloggs working all hours under the sun to make ends meet.

But I'm not complaining — there are people all over the country desperate for medical help — both in mind and body. Hopefully this money will make its way to them — where it's most needed.