Health Minister Simeon Brown this week announced that Health NZ will provide a $12 million funding uplift to hospices for 2026/27.

The announcement noted that, currently, Government funding covers around 64% of total hospice service costs delivered across New Zealand, with the remaining 36% funded by the sector. However, the level of Government support varies significantly between individual hospices, ranging from 22% to 91%.

Current government funding for Cranford, at 52.5% of the Hospice’s existing care costs, sits below the national average, requiring significant community fundraising to meet the balance. The new funding provides an overall 2.66% uplift.

Cranford also receives an additional $80,000 towards the costs for its rural services in Central Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa, supporting care for geographically dispersed communities.

Cranford Hospice welcomes the announcement, commenting: “Demand for hospice services is rising due to an ageing population and increasingly complex care needs. Cranford Hospice supports the call for a long-term funding model to ensure equitable access to quality palliative care.”

“This investment is a positive step for our region,” said Cranford CEO Andrew Lesperance. “We remain committed to working with Hospice New Zealand, Government, and our community to ensure everyone can access the care they need, when and where they need it.”