Contractor and consultant spending at Health New Zealand has increased – by $85 million in the financial year to June. 

The increase comes despite a government directive to cut back. 

Health New Zealand’s Chief Clinical Officer Dr Richard Sullivan tells Mike Hosking the bulk of the spending increase covers vacancies and gaps in rosters, with focus on delivering clinical care to communities. 

“We would prefer to have permanent staff [...] but it is the reality of the market at the moment.” 

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