National needs to front up and make clear what health services are going to be cut after backtracking on its promise to increase health spending by at least inflation.

On Newshub this morning National leader Christopher Luxon backtracked on his promise to match healthcare funding to inflation if elected.

“At a time when there are huge pressures on services, and on the health workforce, we have now the spectre of a National Government slashing health services to pay for tax cuts,” said CTU President Richard Wagstaff.

“This is the worst time possible to be thinking of starving the health system.

“Health requires funding over and above the rate of inflation to meet the needs of a growing and ageing population, as well as the costs of new treatments and equipment.

“Working people in health and education have helped get this country through the current pandemic. They deserve better than backtracking and broken promises.

Wagstaff said the implications of this reversal would affect all New Zealanders.

“Funding not matching inflation would mean fewer jobs in health and education, and worse pay for people working in those areas.

“This would have a tremendous impact on our healthcare and education services. And once again, under National’s policies, working people would be most affected.”

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