B4 School Checks under the spotlight

Health Minister Tony Ryall has confirmed he has told DHBs to pick up their act delivering the B4 Schools Check programme.

Mr Ryall says, "The Government expects any unspent money to be returned, with DHBs only being paid for what is delivered."

The Health Minister has also confirmed he's told DHBs that, in the light of a patchy performance across the country, the Ministry of Health will re-evaluate the way the programme is delivered at the end of the year.

Mr Ryall says, "I became concerned after hearing that there appeared to be nowhere near the number of children getting the checks they are supposed to."

"The previous government announced 13,000 B4 School Checks would be completed by the end of 2008. In fact, only 2,900 checks were actually done in this time."

"I have been advised that of nearly 50 thousand eligible children, only five and a half thousand have had the checks, at the start of May."

The $9 million a year programme aims to give free checks to children aged between four and five to identify and address any health, behavioural, social, or developmental concerns which could affect their ability to learn at school, such as a hearing problem or communication difficulties.

"It is clear that the implementation of this programme across the country was rushed, to the point where it could almost be described as shambolic," says Mr Ryall.