Rimutaka MP Chris Hipkins is appalled that the National Government’s funding cuts to health could force the Piki te Ora Ki te Awakairangi Primary Health Organisation to double its fees.

“This is unfair and unacceptable. Piki te Ora is doing exactly what a good health service should, focusing on providing high quality frontline health services appropriate to their community”, Chris Hipkins said.

“Piki te Ora performs very well. They have achieved better than most primary health organisation’s in conducting vaccinations, cervical screening and diabetes detection.

“The health services provided at Piki te Ora are a great example of a community owned service providing an affordable ‘one stop shop’ for the health needs of the community.

“Piki te Ora’s fees are currently very low, with doctors visits free for children and older people and just $10 for adults aged between 18 and 65. That has made a huge difference in the community by making healthcare much more available to some of our most economically disadvantaged. But they now expect fees will double.

“People could be put off going to the doctor if Pihi te Ora are forced to raise their fees due to these funding cuts. If people don’t go to the doctor because they can’t afford it we’ll all pay more in the long-run as more people end up at A&E or in hospital with much more serious problems. It’s so short-sighted.

“I’m also concerned that by forcing Piki te Ora to merge with other primary health organisations, as Tony Ryall is proposing, less money could end up making it into frontline health services. Piki Te Ora actually spend less on administration than other PHOs and use that money to provide frontline services. Why would the National Government force them to merge with others, potentially increasing their administrative costs?

“With rising GST, early childhood education costs and power prices, these funding cuts will have a major impact on Piki te Ora’s poorest patients”, says Chris Hipkins.