7. HEATHER ROY (Deputy Leader—ACT) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Has he been advised of any deaths of patients from other district health boards requiring tertiary surgery at Capital and Coast District Health Board; if so, on what date was he advised?
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Associate Minister of Health) Link to this
The Minister receives a number of allegations about health issues on a regular basis, the most recent being the statement by Ms Roy in the House on 6 December about a so-called “killer hospital”. These allegations are always followed up, but, on examination, many are found to be without foundation. I am advised that the member herself has not provided any information to authenticate her allegations. I am further advised that the Capital and Coast District Health Board contacted her on three separate occasions to request that she provide the information she had, but she has not done so. On the contrary, just yesterday she made an Official Information Act request for information the hospital has on these incidents, and that would suggest to me that she does not have any information.
How can there be any confidence in a Minister who just 5 weeks ago was “running this show”, who 1 week ago was dodging questions about patient deaths at Capital and Coast District Health Board, who yesterday was shooting the messenger, and who now has gone from being the new sheriff in town to appointing a monitor to solve the crisis at Capital and Coast District Health Board?
I think that if the member is questioning the credibility of the Minister, she should look in the mirror and provide any information she has on this serious matter so that she can retain whatever credibility she has left.
Hon Marian HobbsIs the Minister aware of any professional bodies raising concerns about comments on staff performance at Capital and Coast District Health Board?
Yes. I am aware that the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists—not known to be a supporter of this Government—has labelled Heather Roy’s attack on clinical staff working at Capital and Coast District Health Board as “disgraceful, untrue, unfair, and unprincipled” and called upon her to apologise. I am also aware that clinical staff at Wairarapa Hospital have spoken out in support of the care given by their colleagues at Wellington Hospital, saying: “Despite all the bad press that Wellington Hospital is getting at the present time, we experience the support from teams of dedicated and hard-working professionals, who are always there when we need their services.” I think most members would endorse those sentiments.
Barbara StewartCan he assure us that overall bed numbers at Wellington Hospital will not be reduced by up to 30 percent in order to fit into the new regional hospital; if not, why not?
I do not have any advice on that matter, but I would find it very difficult to understand how one could go into a rebuilding programme and reduce the number of beds by 30 percent. It does not seem right to me.
I think that the Minister was indicating that he was going to take responsibility for the position he held as Minister. As far as I can see, he is doing just that, and very well.
Madam SPEAKERI seek leave to table the front page of Saturday’s Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper, saying that three deaths on—