Wellington, March 1 NZPA - Cabinet will today start discussing mining on conservation land but decisions might not be taken right away, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington Feb 23, NZPA - Health Minister Tony Ryall has ignored warnings from senior doctors and nurses in deciding to merge the run-down Southland District Health Board (DHBs) with its Otago counterpart, their union says.

Wellington Feb 22, NZPA - The Government has approved the Otago and Southland District Health Boards'(DHBs) plans to merge. Health Minister Tony Ryall said the Southland and Otago DHBs had been working closely for several years, and the merger made sense.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - Elderly people who cannot cook or clean for themselves are losing home help support after a review, Labour health spokeswoman Ruth Dyson told Parliament today.

Wellington, Nov 17 NZPA - A Health Ministry investigation into the high level of cash reserves held by primary health organisations (PHOs) would be welcomed by most of those organisations, a representative says.

Wellington, Oct 23 NZPA - New Zealand's emergency medical response to help tsunami victims in Samoa is winding down, Health Minister Tony Ryall says.

Wellington, Oct 21 NZPA - The Auditor-General's office has called on the Social Development Ministry to improve its monitoring of a programme aimed at returning more beneficiaries into work.

Wellington, Oct 21 NZPA - The creation of a National Health Board has been well received, despite concern about the predicted 500 job losses it will cause.

Wellington, Oct 13 NZPA - Southern Cross Medical Society has highlighted the rising cost of health services in an annual report which reveals claims increasing faster than premiums.

Wellington, Sept 29 NZPA - The Labour Party is suspicious about the Government's plans for the public health service and says creating a new "super bureaucracy" in the form of a National Health Board (NHB) won't work.