Labour is committed to a public health system that people can trust, one that is there for them regardless of their ability to pay. We will build upon the positive changes to our health system over this decade to offer the best possible service for all New Zealanders.

1. Reviewing the Present Scheme • Conduct a full stock-take of the various components of the ACC scheme. • Evaluate progress to full funding. • Identify areas of cross-subsidy or cost-shifting, and underfunding of newly-legislated entitlements.

National will introduce a "voluntary bonding" scheme offering student loan debt write-off to graduate doctors, nurses, and midwives agreeing to work in hard-to-staff communities or specialties for three to five years.

1. Boosting Medical Students National will boost the number of funded medical student places by 200 students over five years. This will increase the total number of funded medical student places from 365 students a year to 565 – a boost of over 50%.

Improving Hospice Care National will boost funding for hospices by $15 million a year to expand care and services and meet current financial challenges.

1. Continuing the Current Health Spending Growth Track Continue the growth in health spending set out in the 2008 Pre-Election Fiscal Update. This includes the Government’s indicative spending allocations.

1. Promoting Clinical Leadership • Reduce bureaucracy in health and shift savings to frontline care. • Ensure that doctors, nurses, and other health professionals have more say in how health services are developed and improved.

1. Boosting the Maternity Care Workforce • Establish a Voluntary Bonding Scheme that writes off student loan debt for graduate midwives who agree to work in hard-to-staff areas for three to five years. See our Voluntary Bonding Scheme for more details.