Stories by Ruth Hill

A "reset" to cut millions of dollars from the National Public Health Service will go ahead before Christmas, staff have been told.

Liz McGimpsey used to be sceptical of vaccination - until her daughter Freda contracted whooping cough at just four weeks old.

Mental health workers fear some prison inmates who are suicidal, psychotic or suffering other serious psychological problems will be left without support when their contracts end. Audio

The provision of hot drinks is enshrined in some health workers' contracts, "so if this was done as a cost-saving measure, it would have done anything but".

The man in charge of the country's public health system has stepped in to ensure all staff can still have a drink of Milo at work.

But nearly two-thirds of the country's healthworkers are still waiting.

Released documents show health officials made clear their belief the targets couldn't be reached without more funding.

The iwi health provider providing the programmes says there is now long waitlists.

Police have started cutting back on time spent escorting mental health patients to hospitals.

Concern is being expressed after Health NZ said it was considering a pause on a critical safe staffing protocol.

The government watchdog says there is a risk New Zealand will have enough vaccine supplies if another pandemic strikes.

Health NZ's proposal to cut some chief clinical roles is "a declaration of war" on rural and regional hospitals, according to the senior doctors' union. Audio

Some people with diabetes have been charged for their "free" continuous glucose monitors, which have been fully government-funded since 1 October. Audio

Jacinta Byron developed a debilitating chronic pain condition after breaking her foot, and has been stuck between ACC and the public system.

A document leaked to RNZ shows service are proposing to axe staff and pull back on projects.

The cost of Holidays Act breaches and untaken long service service has now hit $3.6b, with authorities making savage budget cuts to pay for them.

Emergency Department doctors are accusing Health NZ of failing to pay a shift allowance agreed 10 months ago in their previous collective contract.

It is the first of a slew of cancer drugs to now funded by Pharmac following the agency's multi-million dollar budget boost.

The monitors - which Pharmac is now funding for all type 1 diabetics - mean patients are less likely to suffer early deaths, researcher says.

Every classroom in NZ probably has at least one child with FASD - but the vast majority are not getting any support, advocates say. Audio

The number of children and young teens prescribed puberty blockers has fallen, after dramatic increases in the last decade. Audio

A huge lack of understanding of chronic pain means patients are missing out on potentially life-changing treatment. Audio

Some regions - including Gisborne, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Nelson and the West Coast - have no specialist pain medicine physicians.

Many in the profession worry about what it would mean to allow GPs to diagnose patients. Audio

Psychiatrists who heard Matt Doocey's comments shook their heads in apparent disbelief and started murmuring.