8. Hon TONY RYALL (National—Bay of Plenty) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Which district health boards, if any, have indicated they will be unable to comply with the Government’s elective service policy requirements by 30 June 2006?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) Link to this
During question time on Tuesday I said to the member—and I quote myself: “We signalled last week that we would need to relax, somewhat, the period by which district health boards would become compliant …”. If the member wishes to ask the same question again next week, I would be happy to repeat myself repeat myself.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The question was very clear, and it was worded as such because the Ministry of Health said in the Health Committee on Wednesday that at least half the district health boards have indicated that they will not meet the 30 June time line. When we asked for the names, they said they could not give them to us at this stage, so that is why I have asked the Minister. It is a completely different question; it asked which district health boards have indicated that.
Is it not clear to the member that the ability to meet the requirements by the 30 June deadline has been relaxed? We announced it last week and I told the member on Tuesday.
Hon Dr Nick SmithCan the Minister confirm that he has advised district health boards that the requirement to cull their waiting lists by 17,000 patients to meet his compliance requirement has been relaxed by 3 months, and can he confirm further that those district health boards that do not cull their waiting lists within those 3 months will, in fact, find that they suffer a financial penalty, and can he explain how taking money from district health boards will actually see more patients being operated on?
The member seems to have developed the logic that because operations on 17,000 people were delayed due to the strike, somehow New Zealand will have 17,000 people who will be unseen, forever. He forgets that our most excellent health system sees about half a million elective patients a year and it can accommodate many disruptions, whether it is a bad flu season, a junior doctors’ strike, or, indeed, disruption caused by the construction of yet another state-of-the-art hospital.
Maryan StreetThe intent of the Government’s policy is to provide clarity, timeliness, and fairness to patients—things that were absent under the old waiting list policy. Under Labour, we are now closer to the full implementation of this policy than at any time since it was first introduced by the last National Government.
How did he reply to the woman who wrote to him recently about her husband, who has a rare heart disease and who has been removed from the waiting list and sent back to his general practitioner, and what would he say to the woman’s niece, who has an ulcerative colitis and who has been removed from the waiting list and sent back to the general practitioner, and her daughter-in-law, who has coeliac disease and who has been dumped from the waiting list and has returned to her general practitioner; and how would he explain to one of those young women that because of his policy and the delays in her getting treatment, she now faces life with a colostomy bag?
The member may be aware that I do not, and cannot, comment on individual cases but I would be happy to follow up those cases if the member would like to approach me and give me the names of the people involved.
Heather RoyDoes the Minister believe that the district health boards’ inability to comply with elective service policy is the fault of doctors, district health board management, or his ministry; or, if none of these, what exactly is the problem?
District health boards are moving progressively, month after month, year after year, into full compliance. We are nearly there and I would like to thank all of those parties mentioned by the member in her question for their part played in getting there.
Dr Jackie BlueCan he even dare to imagine what it is like for breast cancer survivor 33-year-old Aletia Hudson, who was promised breast cancer reconstruction surgery but has been culled from the waiting list, and how would he feel facing the constant physical reminder every day of that suffering?
I thank the member for raising the question of that person with me again, twice in the same week. The answer I give the member today is the same as the one I gave the member on Tuesday. She may wish to check her Hansard.
Dr Jonathan Coleman Link to this
How does the Minister explain the fundamental disconnect in Labour’s health policy, whereby people can go to their general practitioner and be told they need an operation, but the public health system will not be able to do it for them unless of course they get a lot sicker, then they might just have a chance of getting on a waiting list that they might then get kicked off, or is he stealing policy ideas from old reruns of Yes, Minister?
This Government has a very proud record in health and I will rehearse it somewhat for the member. Not only has surgery in this country increased by about 15 percent under this Government, but within major joint surgery it is doubling over 4 years, so it becomes one of the highest intervention rates in the world, and on top of that we have increased cataract surgery by 50 percent over 3 years, on top of that we have introduced mobile surgical services into this country, and on top of that we have had very large increases in out-patient surgery and day surgery, some of which are not even recorded but will be, 10 days from now. I am proud of that record. The member comes from a party that went into the election 9 months ago and said: “We don’t need any increases in health. We can afford to give it all away in tax cuts.” Now he has the cheek to come to the House and say that he wants more money spent on health.
John HayesI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I could not hear a word the Minister was saying because there was such a rabble making a lot of noise in the House. I ask that you bring the House to order.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I think what was actually happening was that we were getting feedback in the Minister’s mike, and possibly in yours, Madam Speaker, from the Hon Tony Ryall who was screeching right through that answer.
Madam SPEAKERThe same problem is arising now from all parties commenting on the question. All parties are guilty at some time. I ask members to please exercise some self-control and discipline in the interventions they make.
Chris TremainCan the Minister give an assurance that the proceeds from the sale of the Napier Hospital hill site will not be used to meet the current Hawke’s Bay District Health Board’s $13 million forecast deficit, and the proceeds will be used as promised—to build two new operating theatres for elective services, to rebuild the mental health in-patient unit, and, most important, to ensure that further services are not cut from Napier’s Wellesley Road health centre?