Nurses are rejecting the idea that increasing prescription charges won’t have a negative impact, saying some patients already struggle with the $3 fee.
In a pre-Budget announcement this week, Health Minister Tony Ryall said the government would increase the current $3 per item prescription charge up to $5 for up to a maximum of 20 items per family, after which items are free.
The $20 million saving in the first year and $40 million in the second would be used to fund an extra $101 million over four years for increased elective surgery operations, IT systems to speed up diagnostic tests, and improved cancer services (see story about cancer nurses).
But the New Zealand Nurses Organisation kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said giving with one hand and taking with the other is “not the way to create a healthy New Zealand”.
Rosemary Minto, chair of the College of Primary Health Care Nurses NZNO, said as a nurse practitioner, she sees people all the time who struggle to pay the $3 fee for necessary medications to help their diabetes, heart, or respiratory disease.
“I have to wonder how Tony Ryall and John Key can be so sure that the fee increase won't affect people’s access to medications,” she said.
Likewise, Nuku said many low income New Zealanders with high health needs would be unable to afford the medication they need, with palliative care nurse members already reporting visiting patients with piles of unfilled prescriptions because of the cost.
She said it was pleasing to see the improvement to cancer care and elective surgery but believes the money should not come from outside the health budget.
Minto said the College was concerned that more money was going into elective surgery rather than addressing the issues for people before they present at ED with pain and disability.
Ryall said the pharmaceutical subsidy card provided a safety net so the change meant no person or family need pay more than an extra $40 per year for their prescription items.
