“People Are Right to Be Worried” - New Ipsos data shows healthcare remainstop concerns.
The Ipsos NZ Issues Monitor, released quarterly, tracks what New Zealanders say are the most important issues facing the country, and which political parties they believe are most capable of managing them.
The latest results show inflation and cost of living remain the top concerns. But healthcare and hospitals now rank second overall, with 38% of respondents mentioning them. For New Zealanders aged over 65, healthcare is the number one issue.
The Ipsos monitor reflects public mood. And right now, the mood suggests that healthcare is front of mind for a significant proportion of voters.
For those working within the health system, this is not surprising.
Access to care is tightening for many people outside of acute or life threatening situations. Workforce shortages continue to stretch hospitals and community services. Infrastructure and technology systems are under strain. The pressures are complex and interconnected.
Dr David Galler says the poll reflects what many in the sector are already seeing.
“People are right to be worried. Many more people are unable to access the care they need when they need it — from the community and from our hospitals - unless they present with a serious or life-threatening illness or injury.”
He says trust in the health system is steadily eroding due to inadequate funding, escalating demand for services driven by social and commercial determinants of health, including poverty, poor and overcrowded housing, unhealthy foods, alcohol and tobacco, all exacerbated by workforce shortages.
“Much of this pain is felt by those in most need of care.”
Dr Galler also points to an analysis by health economist Andrea Black, which projects that if current policy settings remain unchanged, only 6.6% of adults in New Zealand will meet the World Health Organisation and New Zealand Human Rights definition of being in good health by 2035.
He says that the trajectory should concern policymakers as much as clinicians.
“That is disaffection for us as a nation, and a position that on its face is fiscally reckless.”
He is calling for a significant boost in health funding in this year’s Budget, including resourcing and devolving decision-making to Iwi Māori Partnership Boards to address inequities in health outcomes for Māori, and renewed investment in expanding the public health workforce.
The Ipsos results also show that no party has a secure hold on perceived capability in health. Margins are narrowing. Healthcare remains central to the election conversation.
Election cycles are short. Health systems are not.
If nearly four in ten New Zealanders list healthcare as a top concern, and older voters rank it first, the policy decisions made this year will shape the system well beyond the next three-year term.
You can read the NZ Herald’s coverage of the Ipsos Issues Monitor here.
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