$24M Boost to Ease Hospital Burden and Support Older Kiwis

The New Zealand government has announced a $24 million investment aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of older citizens by expanding access to aged residential care and enabling earlier transfers from hospital settings. The initiative, which will be implemented over the next four years, was unveiled by Associate Health Minister Casey Costello in a statement on Thursday.

A Step Toward More Dignified and Timely Care

According to Minister Costello, the goal of the funding is to ensure that elderly New Zealanders can receive the most appropriate care in settings better suited to their needs. “We want to ensure older New Zealanders can get the treatment and care they need in the best possible place,” she said. “They should not be in hospital simply because they are frail and there are limited options for their care.”

Hospitals are currently experiencing significant delays in discharging older patients who no longer require acute care. This results in unnecessary hospital stays and a backlog in hospital beds for those in urgent need of treatment. The new funding is expected to address these issues by supporting timely discharges and smoother transitions to residential and community-based care.

Expanding Capacity and Improving Outcomes

This initiative is an extension of a program developed in collaboration with the aged care sector in 2023. While the initial rollout was considered successful, its funding was set to expire next month. The renewed and expanded funding will keep the program operational and allow it to serve a larger population of older New Zealanders.

The funds will primarily support:

• Timely transfers of elderly patients from hospitals to aged care facilities.

• Additional care resources for individuals with exceptional needs, such as bariatric support.

• Improved access to residential facilities equipped with “hospital-level” care rooms.

• Enhanced rehabilitation support for new residents with complex or chronic conditions.

“These measures will free up critical hospital capacity while also improving recovery outcomes for elderly patients by placing them in more homelike, rehabilitative environments,” said Costello.

Supporting National Health Targets

Beyond immediate patient benefits, the initiative aligns with New Zealand’s broader health objectives, particularly in optimizing the use of hospital resources and enhancing community-based healthcare delivery.

“This investment means current delays in discharging older people from hospital will be reduced and hospital beds will be freed up for those requiring treatment,” Costello stated. “It will benefit anyone needing to access hospital and specialist services.”

Long-Term Vision with Immediate Impact

While the government continues to work on comprehensive, long-term reforms in the aged care sector, this initiative represents a practical and immediate solution to a pressing problem. Minister Costello acknowledged the critical role that aged care facilities play in the continuum of healthcare, noting her own observations of how such residences are capable of delivering hospital-level care.

“They are currently funded to provide these ‘hospital’ rooms, and this extra funding will support access to this care and for the transfer process to occur safely and faster,” she said.

The Ministry of Health plans to work closely with aged care providers to ensure the funding translates to expanded capacity and tangible benefits for elderly patients and their families.

The announcement has been met with cautious optimism by aged care advocates and healthcare professionals who see it as a positive step toward alleviating systemic pressure and improving the dignity and quality of life for older citizens.