11. MARYAN STREET (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Is he confident that progress is being made on ensuring New Zealanders have access to appropriate renal dialysis facilities?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) Link to this
Every developed country is facing increased demand for renal dialysis, largely because of type 2 diabetes. The Government is addressing this challenge at every level. For example, in the midland region several district health boards have developed regional services plans that allow people to come along of an evening, satellite dialysis has started in Tauranga, and another facility is due to be set up in Rotorua later this year—and on it goes. I could point to similar examples around the country.
Has the Minister seen any reports on how to decrease pressure on New Zealand’s renal dialysis services?
Yes, I have seen at least one proposal that suggests that people who overeat and develop type 2 diabetes should be refused access to public dialysis services and, presumably, left to die. This suggestion, surprisingly, came from Dr Don Brash, who himself does not overeat but, then again, should not change his diet from two slices of frozen corned beef resting on a pot of peas, to four slices.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. If you refer to Standing Order 377, you will see it states very clearly that a reply to any question must be concise, confined, and not include references to other members of the House. You stomped on me yesterday like you would not believe, for raising questions of Dover Samuels about things he had said, and now you are going to allow the Minister of Health to make references to a member’s diet. That is about as irrelevant as we can get. I simply ask that you uphold Standing Order 377.
Hon Dr Michael Cullen Link to this
Standing Order 377 refers to discreditable references to any members of Parliament, or any offensive or unparliamentary expression. If we have now reached the point that corned beef is an unparliamentary expression, I suggest it is time for us all to pack it in and let another 120 members come in here.
Madam SPEAKERI will rule on this. This is getting silly. I ask members that, obviously, when they are asking their questions and also giving their replies they do so consistently within the letter, as well as the spirit, of the Standing Orders.
Dr Jonathan Coleman Link to this
Why would the House have any confidence that district health boards will be able to meet the staffing requirements of new dialysis facilities, when the Auckland District Health Board cannot even get the nurses required to staff something as vitally important as the Auckland heart surgery unit?
It is true that Auckland is facing staffing difficulties, but that is not the only difficulty that Auckland is facing. Auckland has undergone a remarkable shift in recent months, involving 200 services and thousands of staff moving from Greenlane to Auckland City Hospital, and that, it seems to me, is part of the reason for Auckland’s drop in surgery, especially heart surgery.
Barbara StewartIs he aware that in January this year dialysis services in Christchurch were reduced so that all patients received a minimum of dialysis, and what assurances can he offer Christchurch patients that their services will improve?
The answer, of course, lies in prevention, especially in addressing obesity, and specifically childhood obesity. Across many departments and ministries there will be an assertive roll-out of the Government’s Healthy Eating - Healthy Action strategy, and the forthcoming Health Committee inquiry is a very welcome addition to that effort.