Health Policies

One of the greatest barriers to accessing healthcare in New Zealand currently is the lack of staff available, with over 3000 hospital vacancies currently (Gordon, 2022). This is as a result of the poor pay, support, and recognition that healthcare workers receive. Nurses in particular have been inclined to move out of New Zealand in order to attain better pay and work-life balance (Gordon, 2022). To improve upon this, the Otter Party aim to ensure that workers are given the treatment that they deserve for their hard work, and provide incentives for entering healthcare professions. Particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic in the last few years, healthcare workers have been truly invaluable to the country (Holroyd et al., 2022). One aspect that the Otter Party will improve are the pay rates for nurses and other unfairly paid healthcare professions. This would include guaranteeing that there is no pay disparity between genders. Funding to lower the costs of study in New Zealand would also be implemented. By encouraging healthcare professions, it is anticipated that staff shortages would be minimised, and as a result workers would have a much better work-life balance. To ensure this, the Otter Party would also push to increase the amount of holiday a healthcare worker is entitled to, along with establishing a maximum amount of hours allowed to work per week. Each of these aspects will aid in improving and sustaining healthcare worker satisfaction and as a result, increase accessibility for the public both now and in the future.

Another significant issue with the current health system is the affordability. Many people are not receiving the care they need, simply because of the cost. Particularly while people are still recovering from the economic, and potentially also health, effects of Covid-19, financial support needs to be available to minimise health inequalities (Dutta et al., 2022). With the current cost of living crisis, greater support should be offered for tertiary students also. A recent survey found that two-thirds of students don't have enough money to cover common costs, including healthcare (Cook, 2022). The Otter Party would ensure that doctor's appointments and prescription medicines are subsidised for tertiary students and others living in poverty. Furthermore, for those that cannot afford health insurance, significant expenses such as surgeries would also be subsidised. There would also be a heavy focus upon ensuring that the cost of mental health services and counselling are lowered. As a critical matter to focus upon, mental health is covered in more detail within the Social Development portfolio. By directing health funding at those in the greatest need, inequalities can be addressed and sustainable outcomes will be produced.

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