At Supercare4u.com we assist many clients with transfers to Hospitals for treatment of Cancer. So it is pleasing that the Minister of Health, the Hon Tony Ryall, has announced that the Budget next week will provide $101 million of extra funding over the next four years for more elective operations and scans, and improved cancer services. In a pre-Budget announcement with Prime Minister John Key, Mr Ryall said the extra budget funding would invest in four new initiatives:
shorter waiting times for diagnostic tests such as MRI scans, CT scans and colonoscopies
shorter waiting times for cancer treatments
reduced waiting times for, and increased elective surgery operations
funding for dedicated nurses for cancer patients
The Government is investing in the entire care continuum of the 'cancer journey' which will make a real difference to the individual. From the time someone is suspected of having cancer there will be faster access to see a specialist and faster access to treatment once a cancer has been diagnosed. Then they will have access to a dedicated cancer nurse. Supportive care teams around the country are delighted with the concept of dedicated cancer nurses - they see the benefit of having a single point of contact to assist patients and their family/whanau across different parts of the health service.
