Home support funding is up 53%

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the latest data shows that funding for home support services nationwide is up 53 per cent.

“To help New Zealanders live longer, healthy lives away from hospitals and in the community the DHB provides a wide range of home help support services. This includes, but isn’t limited to help with personal care and household chores,” says Dr Coleman.

“Typically this support is offered to kiwis to help them while they’re recovering from surgery or to support older New Zealanders keen to continue living in their own home.

“In recent years DHBs across the country have been putting greater emphasis on providing more personalised home help support services.

“New data shows that DHB’s across the country have received 53 per cent more funding to provide home support services since 2008/2009. Funding has increased from around $230 million in 2008/2009 to over $354 million in 2016/2017, an increase of over $123 million.

“Over the same period, the number of hours of care being provided to kiwis are estimated to have increased from 9,520,600 to 11,663,300 this year, an increase of 2,142,700 hours.

“This increase in access to home support services is supported by the extra $568 million invested into the health sector this year - the biggest single increase in seven years - taking the health budget to a record $16.1 billion in 2016/17.

“From 1 July, 55,000 care and support workers across the country will benefit from the $2 billion pay equity settlement. This will see these workers receive a pay rise of between around 15 and 50 per cent.”