During the past few months, hospice and the critical service it provides has been in the news.
Sadly, not as an opportunity to help New Zealanders understand more about death and dying and hospice care but for a very urgent reason, nonetheless.
We’ve been bringing national attention to the dire, underfunding situation faced by all 32 hospices around the country. From the unsustainable nature of surviving by selling second-hand goods to the burden on communities to fit the bill and the embarrassing lack of attention given to palliative care by the government.
Here’s a round up of national news coverage from the last few months. If any of this makes you mad or angry, please join us in advocating for a fairer more sustainable funding model for hospice services in New Zealand. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Linked In or write a letter to your local MP supporting your local hospice.
May 2022
TVNZ News @ 6pm in May “Hospice New Zealand says it needs more Government funding or struggling facilities may have to close.
RNZ , Afternoons with Jesse Acting CE Wayne Naylor speaks to Jesse on how hospices across New Zealand are facing funding and staff shortages
TV3 The Project : Funding Issues and the Burden on Communities and Launch of Hospice Awareness Week
TVNZ Breakfast : Funding Issues and the burden on communities
Sun Star Times Opinion Piece: Acting CE Wayne Naylor speaks out on the sector facing financial struggles
June 2022
NZ Herald / Rotorua Daily Post : Nation-wide funding boost from Health NZ of $3.1 million not enough
July 2022
RNZ Nine to Noon; Kathryn Ryan speaks with Tina McCafferty, Chief Executive of Tōtara Hospice, and Hospice NZ acting Chief Executive, Wayne Naylor. “Overall, the hospice sector has a whopping $81 million shortfall every year and a one-off amount of $3.1 million granted just over a week ago by government has been described as “a drop in the bucket”.
Stuff.co.nz : Senior Feature writer, Nikki Macdonald writes a sobering investigation into the ‘underfunded, invisible mess’ of hospice care in New Zealand.
Stuff.co.nz : Another article from Nikki MacDonald writes another story on the postcode lottery for the care of dying children.
Sun Star Times, Editorial by Tracy Watkins ‘ A Lottery of death’ pointing out that euthanasia is fully funded, whereas hospices are only partially funded by the Government.
