5. SUE MORONEY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Has he received any reports detailing the level of elective surgical procedures performed in New Zealand?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes, I have. In the last financial year over 112,000 New Zealanders received elective surgery, which is the highest level since reliable reporting began, and an increase of nearly 7,000 procedures in 1 year. This is a conservative figure. It does not include angioplasty, for example, or some diagnostic procedures, or some day surgery, all of which are also on the increase.
Has the Minister received any reports that would lead him to believe that people are accessing health services earlier?
Yes, an independent evaluation of the Primary Health Care Strategy, released approximately 3 weeks ago, showed a 24 percent increase in consultation rates for older New Zealanders, since general practitioner fees were reduced. It is very gratifying to see such an increase for our older folk, because they are—arguably—at greatest risk of having poor health. We know that if we can get people to visit their doctor earlier, their health outcomes are likely to be much better.
Judy TurnerHow many elective surgical procedures were performed by the private sector for the public sector in the past year, and does he expect this number of increase; if so, why?
I do not have the figures at hand for the last year, but I can tell the member that the number of publicly funded, but privately provided, procedures, although it has increased significantly severalfold over the term of this Government, remains as a small proportion of the total publicly funded, publicly provided figures.
Hon Tony RyallIs it not the record of failure of this Government that despite spending $5 billion a year extra on health, fewer New Zealanders are getting elective surgery than at any other time on a per capita basis; that people are finding it even harder to get an appointment with a hospital specialist; and while we speak, record numbers of New Zealanders are languishing in our country’s emergency departments?
The New Zealand health system is not perfect, but it is also true that it is demonstrably and measurably better, year by year, under this Government. That member does nothing but try to tear the health system down. Let us look at elective procedures as an example of his technique. For 2 years he said that elective procedures were heading south—that they were getting worse. For 2 years he put out press statements to say that the figures were getting worse. He has now accepted that the figures in this area, as well as many others, are getting better. So he has changed his argument. He now wants to know what is happening per capita. Well, let us take a look at some of the per capita changes in the last year. In Auckland, one of the growth areas of New Zealand, the increase has been not 7 percent but 15 percent. In Counties Manukau, one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand, the growth rate has been not 7 percent but 18 percent. That is what success looks like. I say to that member: stop tearing down our health system.