Yesterday’s announcement of a “$30 million radiology boost” is a welcome sight for those patients with limited access to free radiology services. However, it also serves to further line the pockets of private radiology providers, without addressing Health NZ’s real problem, a public radiology workforce and infrastructure crisis.

Minister for Health, Shane Reti, has confirmed that $30 million of Health NZ Te Whatu Ora’s baseline funding will be spent to improve access to X-rays, CTs and Ultrasounds. This means that Kiwi’s will no longer need to pay additional fees to access services at private radiology clinics, of which there are near 150 across the country.

APEX, the union which represents the radiology workforce (including MITs, MRI & NM Technologists and Sonographers) in both the public and private sector, believes that this is not an efficient use of taxpayer money and may jeopardise the future of publicly run radiology services.

“For many years Health NZ Te Whatu Ora has failed to invest in its own workforce and infrastructure.” says APEX Advocate, Abbey Hebson. “$30 million invested into Health New Zealand’s own radiology services to secure sufficient staff and update infrastructure, would be a far better return on investment and use of public funds”.

This announcement comes at the same time as APEX receiving information under the Official Information Act that last year alone, Health NZ Te Whatu Ora spent over $60 million in the contracting out of radiology scans to private providers. “Unless investment into CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine and Sonography are addressed, this figure will continue to grow, leaving publicly funded radiology services in a state of crisis” says Mrs Hebson.