59730 (2024). Teanau Tuiono to the Associate Minister of Health

59730 (2024). Teanau Tuiono to the Associate Minister of Health: Further to WPQ 50386 (2024) how does the annual funding uplift provided by Health New Zealand and ACC for road ambulance services take into account cost increases due to inflation, rising fuel costs, and increased demand for emergency services?

Hon Casey Costello: I am advised that the emergency road ambulance agreement with Health New Zealand and ACC includes an annual increase each July for inflation, based on relevant labour market and price indexes. This ensures that road ambulance services continue to be funded in line with inflationary cost pressures. I am further advised that for the year ending 30 June 2024, Health NZ and ACC provided $380 million to Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance for emergency road ambulance services. Over the past two financial years, funding has cumulatively grown by $148 million to increase front line staff numbers and support cost pressures. I am also advised that Hato Hone St John has been informed of its contractual uplift for 2024/25, and that the uplift is in line with inflation. In addition, it's next contract will be negotiated with consideration of the coalition agreement ‘to meet a greater proportion of their annualised budget’