Wellington, July 7 NZPA - A government decision to stop hospitals charging for laboratory tests ordered by private specialists will rob the public health service of millions of dollars, opposition parties say.

Wellington, June 11 NZPA - Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced an interim board of a new independent Health Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC). The Government has also disestablished the Quality Improvement Committee.

By Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, April 28 NZPA - Up to 20 percent of New Zealand babies are not being immunised because they fall through the gaps between midwifery, general practitioner and post-natal care, politicians were told today.

By Chris Ormond of NZPA Wellington, April 28 NZPA - A government-commissioned report recommending sweeping changes to liquor laws has polarised the many stakeholders involved and left Justice Minister Simon Power with some difficult decisions.

By Chris Ormond of NZPA Wellington, April 27 NZPA - A flood of responses to a Law Commission report recommending sweeping changes to liquor laws appears to confirm a commission comment about the issue being a social battleground.

Wellington, Oct 22 NZPA - The health sector has welcomed significant changes to health administration although up to 500 jobs will be lost in the ministry and district health boards (DHBs).

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, 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.

Wellington, Sept 29 NZPA - The District Health Boards of New Zealand (DHBNZ) support the establishment of a National Health Board (NHB) and wanted its role to be expanded from that recommended in the review of the health system.

Wellington, Sept 10 NZPA - Auckland is in the middle of a corporate war over medical lab testing but the Government expects district health boards to ensure that the public receive proper services, Health Minister Tony Ryall said today.