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Annette King with Health Research Council Director Bruce Scoggins (left) and Health & Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson
Health Minister Annette King stressed the importance of setting priorities when she addressed 160 health sector leaders at the recent MSD Health Forum in Auckland.
Mrs King said politicians and health administrators first needed a clear strategic direction, and after that prioritisation was crucial and on-going.
In response to questions, Mrs King said the government's funding formula was directing funding to district health boards in a fair way, based on population and health need.
Setting priorities - or rationing - was a key theme of the event, held at the Novotel Ellerslie on Monday 18 October 2004. After a welcome from Merck Sharp & Dohme managing director Alister Brown, Radio New Zealand health correspondent Rae Lamb officiated a lively debate with the moot: "Rationing is the best medicine".
The affirmative team comprised Auckland district health board chair Wayne Brown (team captain), Auckland Procare CEO Mark Wills and Public Health Association director Dr Gay Keating.
The negative team was led by MoH principal medical advisor and Middlemore ICU director Dr David Galler, joined by ADHB acting medical officer Dr Margaret Wilsher and epidemiologist Professor Rod Jackson.
After entertaining and passionate contributions from both teams, the audience awarded victory to the negative team.
Thirty health journalists from around the country attended the Health Forum. They were in Auckland to attend a health writers training seminar held on the 18th & 19th of October, organised by the NZ Journalists' Training Organisation (NZJTO) with support from Merck Sharp & Dohme.
Held since 1999, the seminar programme is set by the NZJTO after consultation with key journalists around the country. Sessions this year included training about using statistics, screening programmes, cross-cultural issues, health sector funding, health websites, complementary and alternative healthcare and a visit to various health facilities in Counties Manukau.
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