The Front Page: How a critical lack of money is hurting the health system
Each week The Front Page takes you behind the scenes of the biggest story from the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB. Today it's how a lack of money is causing serious health problems. Hosted by Frances Cook.
Major problems are bubbling up in our health system, and the rootcause always seems to come back to a lack of resources and money.
We've seen it within the last week, where a series of Herald investigations uncovered serious issues with maternal healthcare, and vaccination rates of our children.
A watchdog found women with a life-threatening condition weren't treated properly because of a lack of hospital staff.
The investigations point to capacity problems extending beyond maternity services at Counties Manukau DHB, where problems like a lack of staff contributed to the recent death or stillbirth of three babies.
Data shows the plummeting vaccination rates are being driven largely by the failure to immunise babies born into poor or Māori families - not by parents deliberately opting out.
Herald investigative journalists Nick Jones and Kirsty Johnston came on the Front Page podcast to talk about what's happening, and if there's any political appetite to fix it.
For the interview, watch the video or subscribe to the Front Page on podcast apps.
If you have questions about Herald investigations, or want to stay up to date on social media, you can find host Frances Cook on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.
