Dunne welcomes gambling services value-for-money review
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne today welcomed a Health Ministry Value-for-Money Review of problem gambling services that found they were innovative, well designed and with good coverage of the most at-risk groups.
The review, undertaken by KPMG, focused on all aspects of the Government’s problem gambling programme, from the Ministry’s role through to the delivery of services to prevent and minimise gambling harm.
“The report provides a robust, in-depth review, identifying a range of strengths and areas for further development,” Mr Dunne said.
“It provides a strong level of reassurance that value for money is being achieved, and continues to improve significantly.
“This is something which we seek in every area of public expenditure, but especially in such tight economic times,” he said.
The review found that a strong trend in increased value for money was clearly evident.
Areas identified for further improvements were delivery against contracted targets for service providers, better evidence for public health activities undertaken and strengthening communication between the Ministry, service providers and the gambling industry.
“The report is robust and in-depth, identifying a range of strengths and areas for further development,” Mr Dunne said.
“Issues around gambling are a complex area, and there are a range of activities and services. The review findings provide an ideal stepping stone for the ongoing delivery of quality problem gambling services.
The full report can be found on the Ministry of Health website at
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/problemgambling-publications
Address at Launch of Naenae Community Dental Clinic
Tēnā koutou, Kia Orana, Talofa and Pacific greetings to you all, and good morning
I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the commitment and effort of all involved in improving the oral health of our children and teenagers in this community.
But before I talk about this new clinic and the Government and Hutt Valley DHB’s plans to improve oral health, I wish to acknowledge the work that has brought us here today.
It has been a long time in the planning.
This day has been made possible by the leadership of the Hutt Valley DHB, the staff of its community dental service, and most importantly, the support and input from this community.
I especially acknowledge the support of Board of Trustees and the principal of Naenae Intermediate – in particular Mr Paul Alcock, Mr Graeme Ross and Mr Steve Black – who have supported the location of this new clinic here from the beginning.
I acknowledge the teachers and staff of this school who have worked through the inconvenience of construction on site and are enthusiastic supporters of health and education working together.
And thank you to the students who have participated so enthusiastically in this opening ceremony.
The opening of this clinic is one aspect of the Government’s nationwide programme to improve oral health services for our children and teenagers.
The Government has committed nearly $116 million of capital funding along with over $30 million each year in additional operating funding for DHBs to re-invest in delivering better children’s and teenagers’ oral health services.
We are beginning to see new fixed clinics and mobile facilities all around the country.
Which brings me back to the clinic we are opening here today.
This Bee Healthy Naenae Clinic is the second and largest of Hutt Valley DHB’s new fixed-site dental clinics that will be up and running in the Hutt Valley by 2012.
This clinic and the other new ones will be supported by 11 new mobile dental units.
The mobile clinics will visit schools and provide a range of services including examinations, x-rays, preventive care and other treatment as required.
We will see nine of these 11 mobile clinics on our roads by the end of this year.
This clinic here in Naenae will serve 7,500 children from Naenae Intermediate and surrounding schools such as Avalon Primary School and Naenae College, and preschools such as the Avalon Kindergarten and Awhina Te Kahui Nohinohi Te Kohanga Reo.
It will become the one single clinic in Naenae that all our children can access year round as and when they need dental care.
This will be a relief for parents as you do not need to track down your community’s roving dental therapists anymore.
For the dental therapists and dental assistants, these new clinics mean they will be working in more spacious facilities, with modern equipment, with better staff support and more time to spend with our children on prevention and oral health education.
Today is not only about opening this new clinic.
Today, we also celebrate the launch of Hutt Valley DHB’s Bee Healthy Regional Dental Service.
Over the coming months, we will see more of BarnaBee – our local oral health champion – introducing a number of his friends. BarnaBee and friends will be talking about health tips and messages to encourage our children into a healthy lifestyle that gives them the best possible start in life.
I am told that over half of the children in the Hutt Valley currently enrolled with the oral health service are decay free.
While this is a good start, I am sure you would all agree that we would like this percentage to be much higher.
For its part, the Hutt Valley DHB will be increasing enrolment of its pre-school children in its free oral health service, and encouraging greater use of services by our teenagers.
The DHB wants to reach out to more children and families, particularly among Māori and Pacific families and whānau.
We also must acknowledge, today, the important part each one of us has in supporting the oral health of the children and teenagers under our care. It is about leadership and setting a positive example for our young people to follow.
To achieve this, it is important that Hutt Valley parents, caregivers, families and whānau play their part in supporting children to develop good oral health care habits.
The good news is that dental decay is a largely preventable disease. Toothache and gum disease do not need to be a normal part of our lives.
For some of us here, we grew up in the days where we would usually get our teeth drilled and filled at the dental clinic.
But this need not be the case for our children and our children’s children.
From today onwards, we, the adults here, must give our children the knowledge and support they need to protect their teeth for life.
As adults, we all know what we should do to protect our teeth, such as brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing, and cutting back on sugary foods and fizzy drinks that can cause dental decay.
Our young people need to see us doing these things so that they will as well.
So we adults need to show far better example than we often do.
I was horrified to discover recently that about a third of adults do not brush their teeth twice a day.
That is simply not good enough.
We cannot expect our young people to develop good oral health habits, while that level of neglect continues.
So, it is time for adults to face up to their own responsibilities, if they expect to be a positive influence on their children.
You are also encouraged to attend appointments with your children here at this Naenae clinic, and to bring along your other children as well.
Furthermore, this community is fortunate to live in an area where water is fluoridated.
Water fluoridation helps reduce and prevent tooth decay.
The ratepayers among us need to ensure that the local council continues this important public health measure.
It is only by involving parents, caregivers, families and whānau in the care that our dental therapists deliver, that we can then, together as a community, really begin to improve outcomes for whole families and whānau, for both young and old, and for our future generation of New Zealanders.
Thank you. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou kātoa.
Dunne welcomes Misuse of Drugs Act Review report
Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne today welcomed the Law Commission’s report on its review of the Misuse of Drugs Act, saying that the Government will consider its many recommendations before responding.
“The report is a thorough and wide-ranging with a large number of recommendations that the Government will need to consider,” Mr Dunne said after the report was tabled in Parliament this afternoon.
He said he had long stated that the Misuse of Drugs Act was outdated and deficient in a number of areas and it was important that a review be conducted.
“The existing Act fails to adequately address the rapidly expanding market for new psychoactive substances, such as party pills and smokeable products.
“We need a robust regime is in place to prevent the easy availability of uncontrolled substances.
“The Law Commission was tasked with considering options for developing such a regime and I look forward to fully examining its recommendations in weight up how to best provide a greater health focus and deal with drug addicts,” Mr Dunne said.
Mr Dunne thanked the Law Commission for producing the report.
Ends
Mark Stewart | Press Secretary | Office of Hon Peter Dunne
Cell +64 21 243 6985 |
Dunne signals R18 ban on synthetic cannabinoid substances
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne today delivered a strong warning to anyone selling synthetic cannabinoid substances that the Government is going to tighten up on their products, including making it illegal to sell them to those under 18.
He said a number of controls are to be placed around products containing synthetic substances producing similar effects to cannabis.
“The Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD) says it is unacceptable for products containing these substances to be widely available without controls placed on their packaging, marketing and sale, and I fully agree,” Mr Dunne said.
The committee has recommended restricting all synthetic substances with cannabinomimetic effects under the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 2005.
”I have accepted the committee’s advice on this.”
In order for the committee’s advice to be implemented, an amendment Act, which allows hazardous substances to also be classified as restricted substances must be passed. This is currently before Parliament awaiting its second reading.
“The legislation will allow the Government to put in place controls to prevent the sale of these products to young people, aggressive marketing and generally cut their widespread availability.
”I have instructed the Ministry of Health to begin the process of putting the necessary controls in place. I expect these changes to come into effect next year.
”In the meantime, I am putting traders in these products on notice that it is irresponsible to market, sell or offer to sell to anyone under the age of 18.
“My advice for anyone considering using any unregulated substance is to avoid them completely,” Mr Dunne said.
Background information:
Smoking products such as “Spice”, Kronic”, Aroma” and “Dream” are available in New Zealand from ‘party pill’ outlets, online retailers and an increasing number of dairies and convenience stores.
Some products are identified as ‘herbal smoking blends’ or ‘legal highs’. These products contain vegetable matter that has been treated with synthetic cannbinomimetic substances to create products that can be bought and smoked to produce psychoactive effects similar to those of cannabis.
A number of products have been tested and found to contain substances from the naphthoylindole chemical group, including JWH-018 (1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole) and JWH-073 (1-butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole).
Once the amendment is passed, cannbinomimetic substances will be added to the restricted substances schedule and the controls outlined below will then apply to the synthetic cannabinoids.
Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 2005
The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 2005 and the Misuse of Drugs (Restricted Substances) Regulations 2008 provide controls around the marketing and availability of restricted substances. These controls include:
- A minimum purchase ages of 18 years
- Prohibitions on free of charge distribution or the offering of such products as a reward
- Restrictions limiting all advertising (except internet-based advertising) to only the inside of a premises selling restricted substances and a requirement that such advertising not be visible or audible from outside such premises
- Prohibitions on selling such products from any venue with a liquor licence, or from service stations, or from non-fixed premises such as caravans or street carts
- Prohibitions on selling such products from places where children or minors gather, including but not limited to, schools, recreational facilities and sporting facilities
- Requirements for all products to contain warning labels, including warning against driving or operating machinery following use, and contact details of the manufacturer and the National Poisons Centre
- Requirements for all products to clearly state the synthetic cannabinomimetic substances they contain on the packet
- Requirements that all such products be sold in child resistant and tamper-proof containers.
Dunne welcomes trans-Tasman pharmaceutical alliance
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has welcomed the signing of the strategic alliance by the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.
“The alliance will strengthen the professions of both countries and provide opportunities for greater leadership within the four areas it intends to focus on – policy, workforce planning, events and products,” Mr Dunne said.
“The signing of this alliance is a fantastic step for pharmacy in New Zealand and Australia and I expect that the knowledge gained through this will further develop the profession.
“I congratulate both parties on undertaking such a positive initiative”. Mr Dunne said.
The alliance was signed yesterday.