Labour releases health policy and targets lifestyle factors

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: The Labour Party's health policy targets disease and disability caused by obesity, tobacco, alcohol and preventable cancers.

The policy, released on Monday 27 October, outlines Labour's vision for an affordable and accessible health system, but there is no new spending to go with it.

Party leader Helen Clark says Labour is committed to screening and vaccination programmes such as bowel and breast cancer screening and the HPV vaccine against cervical cancer.

She says Labour wants to link primary health organisations with district health boards through plans which would identify barriers to accessing health services and gaps in care.

Miss Clark says as economic conditions improve, Labour would work to future reduce the cost of doctors' visits, targeting those over 65 and aged between six and 17.

It would also prioritise shorter waiting times for cardiac, cancer and orthopaedic treatment as well as boosting medical school student numbers by 100 by 2011.