Health workers, patients protest chronic health 'underfunding'STACY SQUIRES/FAIRFAX NZ Each of the 200 figures installed outside Princess Margaret Hospital represented 100 workers the health care system has lost over the past eight years. More than 500 Canterbury patients and health workers have shared their experiences of New Zealand's health system to show it has been chronically underfunded for years, a new national campaign says. A coalition of health unions, Action Station and the People's Mental Health Review are collecting stories, running a petition and carrying out a roadshow to help make health funding a hot election topic. Most of the Canterbury stories shared for the campaign highlighted concerns about mental health funding and the negative impact of stretched resources, Oosterman said. Minister of Health Jonathan Coleman said Cantabrians were getting more of the health services they needed under the National Government.

Source: Stuff March 07, 2017 07:33 UTC