The National Party says it wants to increase funding for elective surgeries, aiming to bring the number of operations to 200,000 a year by 2022.
National Party health spokesperson Jonathan Coleman Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
The party's health spokesperson, Jonathan Coleman, and leader, Bill English, made the announcement in Petone this morning.
Dr Coleman said National would increase spending on elective surgery by $30 million per year each year for the next four years, rising to $120m per year by 2020/21, if re-elected.
He said about 174,000 elective surgeries were carried out each year and the figure was expected to reach 178,000 this year.
"Elective surgery makes a real difference to patients and their families - it reduces pain, restores independence and improves quality of life.
