10. Hon TONY RYALL (National—Bay of Plenty) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Has he been advised of any recent reports on hospital productivity?
Is he aware that research by Professor Peter Davis in Auckland University has found that New Zealand’s public hospitals had performed well during the 1990s, had treated more people, and had lower death rates, but that this improvement is not being maintained; why is this?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
To quote from the actual conclusion of that study, “other things being equal, a substantial reduction in in-patient bed availability can be effected in national hospital systems” while “largely maintaining access and quality of care. However the workload adjustments that are required may slow improvements in patient outcomes.”
Lesley SoperHon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
As the data shows, during the 1990s inequality in health outcomes increased dramatically under National—and it has now started to decline under Labour—because user charges for in-patients and out-patients were introduced, deficits ballooned, and primary care was unaffordable. A survey in 2000 showed that medical specialists spent only 48 percent of their time in public hospitals. [ Interruption]
Madam SPEAKERWhat is the Minister’s answer to Professor Davis’s question on Morning Report today, when he said: “I mean, resources have essentially doubled over the last decade.”, and he went on to say: “I think we should now be asking the question: with the doubling of resources, why can’t you now increase elective surgery throughput? Why can’t you reduce emergency department waiting times?”
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
In the first place, it is correct that this Government has doubled resources. We have done so partly to improve primary and preventive health care, which will pay dividends over years and years to come. Secondly, it is already true that we have shortened patient waiting times. We have increased elective surgery by 5 percent in the last year, and we will increase it another 5 percent in the year coming.
Would the Minister like to answer the question from Professor Davis that was broadcast on radio today and explain why we can double resources and not increase elective surgery throughput, and why we can double resources and not reduce emergency department waiting times?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
It is very simple: because some of the resources have gone to other places.
Whom should the public of New Zealand trust on this information: a Minister in a discredited Labour Cabinet or an eminent professor with impeccable Labour Party connections?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
What the eminent professor and the Cabinet share is a very high regard for the Prime Minister. The public of New Zealand decided in 1999 that National’s health policies were a disaster and they overwhelmingly voted them out of office, which is where they remain.
Dr Jonathan Coleman Link to this
Does the Minister agree with Dr Cullen’s statement when he wrote to Annette King in 2005, “we cannot currently be confident that the substantial additional resources which have gone into the health system have produced the best results for citizens.”; if he does, what will he do about ensuring that New Zealanders will get some results from the $6 billion of public money that Labour has added to the annual health budget?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
The kind of result that the country got under National was a vast increase in inequality in health outcomes, which this Government is turning around. Yes, there are opportunities for further improvement, which we are achieving, and the public has confidence in this Government to deliver that. That is why we are here and why National members will stay on the opposite side of the House.