Policy-makers are concerned to find ways to improve the quality, accessibility and continuity of care, contain costs and ultimately to reduce the rate of institutionalisation. Continued.
Against a background of continuing fiscal crises and concern that the health care system is neither accessible or acceptable, the New Zealand (NZ) Government is looking for ways to prevent the spiralling of costs in health care. At the moment the new medical technology and pressures arising from demographic change are overwhelming the health system and NZ can no longer afford to provide all the services people would like. Continued.