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Associate Minister of Health, Hon Tariana Turia, is suggesting that New Zealanders have much to be proud of this World Smokefree Day (Tuesday 31 May 2011).

Mrs Turia has recently returned from Moscow, where she was invited to be a keynote speaker at the World Health Organisation Global Forum: Addressing the Challenges of Non-communicable Diseases.

Hello and welcome to Tauranga Hospital's Ward 3A.

Thank you for inviting me along to celebrate this special moment with you – you've worked through all the modules in the 'Releasing Time to Care – Productive Ward programme.

We won't say completed – because this is quality improvement and the quest for better care is never ending.

Last time I visited this ward you had just begun 'tidying up' as part of Releasing Time to Care -The Productive Ward.

Good afternoon.

It's a pleasure to be here to help you mark the final stage of Tauranga Hospital's multi-million dollar campus building and refurbishment programme.

Your hospital redevelopment will make significant improvements to the delivery of care to patients.

"Building 50" houses an extended and upgraded Medical Day Stay Unit on the ground floor - and the new ICU and Coronary Care Units on the first floor have now doubled in size.

The price tag is $25 million.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has today opened Tauranga Hospital's Building 50 – the final stage of Bay of Plenty District Health Board's multi-million dollar building and refurbishment project.

The DHB has invested $157.3 million into the project with $25 million for Building 50.

"The Government is strongly committed to protecting and growing our public health services, despite the difficult economic times, says Mr Ryall.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says Hamilton Radiology's new Positron Emission and Computed Tomography (PET-CT) Centre in Hamilton will give patients from New Plymouth to Hamilton to Gisborne more convenient service, closer to home.

"Until now, patients had to travel to Wellington, and sometimes even Australia for these scans," says Mr Ryall.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) combined with Computed Tomography (CT) scans are a valuable tool in diagnosing and monitoring the progression of cancer.

The Government has approved a $40 million-plus project at Waikato Hospital, that will create up to 100 construction jobs in Hamilton.

Health Minister Tony Ryall announced the approval during a visit to Waikato Hospital this afternoon.

Mr Ryall says, "The new building development will streamline and consolidate services for older people and those receiving rehabilitation support.

"This is about building for the future and providing much better service for older New Zealanders and their families.

Thank you for inviting me here today to the opening of Mind and Body’s new buildings.  This is an exciting time for your organisation, and you should be very proud of your achievements to date.

The latest results of the Government's Health Targets show 99 per cent of patients ready for cancer radiation treatment are starting that treatment within the world gold standard of four weeks.

The target was six weeks until the start of this year, when it was shortened to four weeks.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "Four weeks is the gold standard worldwide for starting cancer radiation treatment. From January to March, 99 per cent of patients started their cancer radiation treatment within four weeks and 100 per cent started within six weeks.

Healthcare services will make huge gains thanks to the government’s ultra fast broadband (UFB) initiative. The UFB will make the transfer of information and services much simpler and faster, says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The government has today awarded the final two contracts for the roll out of ultra fast broadband around New Zealand and the award last month of a contract for the roll out of broadband in rural areas.

Good morning everyone. It’s a pleasure to be here at this year’s annual conference and thank you to the conference organisers for inviting me to speak.

Firstly I would like to acknowledge NZMSA president Oliver Hansby and the NZMSA executive and delegates from New Zealand’s four medical schools and overseas guests

Thank you for inviting me to help you celebrate the official launch of the Kawerau Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme.

It is always a pleasure to be a part of an event on my own home ground.

I'm pleased to be able to officially acknowledge the good work the Kawerau community has put in already to protect its children from the impact of rheumatic fever.

Rheumatic fever is a serious and largely preventable third world disease that is highly prevalent in some of our communities.

Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia today announced a $12 million programme to reduce the rates of rheumatic fever in more vulnerable communities.

“This is an entirely preventable disease that can have serious consequences for children during childhood and throughout their lifetime. A simple sore throat can lead to permanent heart damage,” Mrs Turia says.

“The rates of rheumatic fever are now 14 times higher in New Zealand than in any other OECD country and we simply must do something about that.

Budget 2011 is delivering an extra $2.2 billion to public health services over the next four years, including an additional $585 million in initiatives in 2011/12.

“Vote Health is the biggest recipient of Budget 2011,” Health Minister Tony Ryall says. “This demonstrates the Government's strong commitment to protecting and growing our public health services, despite the difficult economic times.

Budget 2011 is delivering a further $68 million over four years to increase funding for elective surgery. 

The extra money is in addition to funding provided to District Health Boards through population and price adjustments and will provide even more operations for New Zealanders who need them.

Budget 2011 is delivering the final part of the Government's election commitment to increase the pharmaceuticals budget by $180 million over three years, Health Minister Tony Ryall says.

This year's $20 million increase means that spending on medicines has increased over previous levels by $40 million in the 2009 Budget, $60 million in 2010, and $80 million in this Budget. The $20 million this year is included in the funding increase DHBs are receiving.

Budget 2011 delivers an extra $44 million over four years to look after people living with dementia. 

“This significant funding increase includes $40 million for residential dementia services. This is expected to lead to the provision of almost 200 extra dementia beds over the next two years,” Health Minister Tony Ryall says.

“Dementia is a severe and devastating disorder for both sufferers and their families – and with more of us living beyond 85 years, it is increasingly making itself felt in our communities.

Tēnā koutou, Kia Orana, Talofa and Pacific greetings to you all, and good morning

I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the commitment and effort of all involved in improving the oral health of our children and teenagers in this community.

But before I talk about this new clinic and the Government and Hutt Valley DHB’s plans to improve oral health, I wish to acknowledge the work that has brought us here today.

It has been a long time in the planning.

As we travelled here this morning, I had one of those epiphany moments – that sudden realisation which illuminates the significance of this day, this moment in time.

It comes from the concept of Hohourongo – the name which you have embraced for your programme.

When I hear the word Hohouronga, I think of one of our marae at home – Maungarongo Marae in Ohakune.

Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia is shocked that a tobacco company would claim ‘it is not hard to quit smoking’.

The statement was made by the head of a major international tobacco company at its annual shareholder meeting.

“Make no mistake tobacco is a highly addictive substance that is claiming the lives of approximately 5000 New Zealanders every year and that alone should horrify tobacco companies.

“Tobacco casts a long shadow of death and disease that has touched almost every household in New Zealand,” says Mrs Turia.

Health Minister Tony Ryall will represent New Zealand at two key international health forums during May.

Mr Ryall will attend the annual Commonwealth Health Ministers' Meeting in Geneva on May 15 - which this year focuses on non-communicable diseases.

That category of disease – which includes cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes - cause an estimated 35 million deaths worldwide each year.

Kia ora koutou katoa

Thank you for inviting me here to celebrate International Nurses Day, which is tomorrow May 12, and which also happens to be Florence Nightingale’s birthday.   It is a pleasure to take time to recognise the great contribution that nurses make to the health of New Zealanders.  I’d like to extend greetings to Nano Tunnicliffe, Kerri Nuku,  and Siloma Masina. 

Health Minister Tony Ryall today congratulated Hutt Valley DHB diabetes nurses who are among the first New Zealand registered nurses to independently prescribe medication to their patients.

"These nurses are taking part in a demonstration in four North Island regions that aims to make life easier for diabetes patients and make better use of nursing skills," Mr Ryall said.

People with diabetes in Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Hutt and MidCentral DHBs are having their medication managed by registered nurses practising in diabetes health.

The Government today announced new initiatives for maternity services and to help new mothers and their babies.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "It will mean better teamwork and provide extra help to mothers and babies who need it.

"This Government has invested an extra $1.2 billion in health services over the past two years, and Budget 2011 will provide an extra $33.2 million for maternity services over four years to improve safety and quality.

Good morning, and thank you for the invitation to speak today at this year’s forum.

Your theme is ‘What’s Working, What’s Not, What’s New?’ – and they are by any measure, three important questions.

I would like to help you address them here this morning, from my perspective as Associate Minister of Health, responsible for problem gambling.

Thinking about what is new, two things in particular come to mind, though for very different reasons.