Reports hospitals asked to make more than $80m in savings by July
The central health agency is asking hospitals to save more than $80m by July as part of a nationwide cost-cutting drive, according to figures sourced by RNZ.
RNZ has asked Te Whatu Ora to confirm the figures, which range from a savings goal of $15.5m at Auckland to between $7m and $9m for four other districts, and a clutch of smaller districts at $3m or less.
It has told hospitals they must "live within our means" and clamp down on staffing costs because other cost-cutting measures have not gone far enough, as RNZ revealed a week ago.
Health Minister Shane Reti has said this would not take away from the front line for medical care.
On Wednesday, a leaked document published by Newsroom showed Canterbury hospitals had been ordered to slash $13.5m in the next two months.
The latest figures cited to RNZ are for savings ordered at another 11 health districts:
- Auckland $15.5m
- Waikato $13m
- Southern $9m
- Counties Manukau just under $8m
- Waitematā just under $8m
- Capital Coast and Hutt Valley $7m
- Hawkes Bay $3m
- Nelson $3m South
- Canterbury $1.2m
- West Coast $980,000
RNZ has asked Te Whatu Ora what savings it has ordered at the other eight medium-to-small districts.
Health NZ was funded almost $23 billion for 2023-24.
RNZ has contacted Dr Reti for comment.
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