The National Party says district health boards are drowning in deficits, and a lack of government leadership is to blame. Health Ministry figures show that in late March, the 20 district health boards were forecasting a year-end deficit of $390 million.
Canterbury DHB has the biggest forecast deficit, at $103 million, followed by Waikato on $62 million and Counties Manukau on $45 million.
The Health Minister says it's because of years of under-funding under National.
But National's health spokesman, Michael Woodhouse, told RNZ health correspondent Karen Brown leadership is the problem.
