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Budget 2017 will invest an extra $205.4 million over four years to maintain and improve disability support services, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Associate Health Minister Nicky Wagner say.

“The Government is committed to providing disabled people with more support so they can have greater independence and live better lives in their communities,” Dr Coleman says.

“The sector will receive an extra $52.3 million in 2017/18, taking its total funding to $1.2 billion for the year.

Budget 2017 will invest $38.5 million of new operating funding over four years to further support the staged implementation of the national bowel screening programme, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says.

“Around 3,000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year. The Government is committed to better access to early detection and treatment,” Dr Coleman says.

Budget 2017 will invest an extra $3.9 billion over four years into Vote Health taking the total health investment to a record $16.77 billion in 2017/18, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says.

“Delivering better health services for a growing country remains this Government’s number one funding priority,” Dr Coleman says.

“The additional funding will deliver a range of new initiatives to meet cost pressures as well as population growth.

Budget 2017 will invest an extra $224 million over four years in mental health services including $124 million in new innovative approaches, Social Investment Minister Amy Adams and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman say.

“Mental health is a social investment priority for this Government. It’s one of our most complex social issues, and it is having big impacts across the employment, housing, health and justice sectors,” Ms Adams says.

Budget 2017 invests an additional $59.2 million over four years to ensure all road ambulance call outs are double crewed, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman, Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne and ACC Minister Michael Woodhouse say.

“The Government is focused on getting patients the care they need when they need it, and our ambulance services have a key role to play in this,” Dr Coleman says.

Budget 2017 invests an extra $60 million over four years to enable Pharmac to provide more New Zealanders with access to new medicines, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says.

“Pharmac’s model for increasing subsidised medicines and treatments for New Zealanders is world class,” Dr Coleman says.

“This funding boost in Budget 2017 will provide Pharmac with an extra $20 million in the 2017/2018 year to increase access to new medicines, and benefit more New Zealanders.