Surprise-free health Budget

3.00pm

Today's Budget contained no surprises for the health sector, which commands total funding of $9.91b in the coming year.

Two years ago the Government announced its cumulative health funding package of an extra $400 million in 2002-03, $800m in 2003-04, $1.2b in 2004-05 and $1.7b in 2005-06.

It has largely stuck to that, with this year's $9.1b total up from $9.5b last year.

"This is a huge investment designed to provide fair, strong and sustainable public health services in New Zealand," Health Minister Annette King said.

"Vote health now accounts for about 20 per cent of all government spending."

Specific funding increases in 2004-05 included $150m for demographic changes and $53.5m for the continued development of the $200m meningococcal vaccine programme.

An additional extra $250m over the next four years will go into implementing the Mental Health Commission's Blueprint.

The $250m carries on from a $257m allocation over four years made in 2000-01.

The Primary Health Strategy takes a large chunk of this year's extra funding, accounting for $264m.

DHBs take care of $6.48b of the health budget, up from $6b last year.

Individual funding for DHBs (last year's funding in brackets):

Northland: $308.5m ($292.9m)

Waitemata: $756.9m ($688.4m)

Auckland: $759.3m ($702.6m)

Counties-Manukau: $730.6m ($699.7m)

Waikato: $606.6m ($545.3m)

Lakes: $198m ($190m)

Bay of Plenty: $383.2m ($347.6m)

Tairawhiti: $101m ($96.5m)

Taranaki: $213.4m ($203.1m)

Hawke's Bay: $282.4m ($261.5m)

Whanganui: $135.6m ($129.3m)

Mid-Central: $295.2m ($266.2m)

Hutt: $226.2m ($222.4m)

Capital and Coast: $438.3m ($391.3m)

Wairarapa: $77.3m ($73.5m)

Nelson Marlborough: $232.5m ($212.2m)

West Coast: $80m ($75.2m)

Canterbury: $835m ($779.2m)

South Canterbury: $104.5m ($97.4m)

Otago: $351.8m ($339.6m)

Southland: $182.2m ($167.2m)

The Budget also commits capital of $802m over four years to enable the Government to embark upon the largest public hospital upgrade programme ever undertaken in New Zealand, Ms King said.

"Most of the money has been allocated to projects in Auckland, Capital and Coast, Canterbury, Southland, Waikato, Thames, Kaitaia, Dunstan and Wairarapa but there is also provision for new hospitals at Tauranga and Horowhenua," she said.

"We are committed to providing quality hospital facilities to complement our quality health professionals."

- NZPA