7. Hon TONY RYALL (National—Bay of Plenty) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Why are lower North Island district health boards planning a drastic proposal to downgrade regional hospitals in the lower North Island and to “cluster” acute services in Wellington and one other site?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Health) Link to this
The lower North Island district health boards are not planning drastic downgrades to regional hospitals as the member suggests. They are simply working together to think about how they can better ensure that everyone in the region has the best possible health care. I note that the National Party’s own health discussion document argues that “Better networking and cross-boundary DHB cooperation can concentrate expertise and improve efficiency and quality.” That is exactly what the district health boards are considering doing.
Why will the Minister not be open with the public of New Zealand, when Labour promised never to downgrade a hospital yet here is a secret Labour plan to axe health services in the lower North Island and make people travel for hours to get even basic care—or is it all a “factual misunderstanding”?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
It is one thing for the National Party to copy popular Labour policies like regional shared services and clinical networks; it is quite another for it to invent unpopular policies like closing entire district health boards, which is not the policy of this Government but, instead, comes from the member’s own discussion document, which states: “It is inefficient and inhibiting to have 21 DHBs …”.
Barbara StewartCan he assure us that any moves to regionalise services will not further disadvantage Kenepuru Hospital and the more than 100,000 people who live in its catchment area; if not, why not?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I can confirm that no proposals have been received by me for the Cabinet process, following the consideration by the district health boards, so I have not yet been briefed on what recommendations are coming through. But it is my view that Kenepuru Hospital plays a vital role in the regional network of primary and lower-end secondary-care facilities.
Lesley SoperHon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I have seen a proposal to return to the privatisation of health services model that failed in the 1990s, and to something other than the current accident compensation scheme. Under this proposal “There is actually no reason why the State couldn’t contract to the private sector all of the, say, cataract operations required, or all of the hip operations.” Surprise, surprise, those are the exact words of John Key, and are proof, if ever more were needed, that National’s true agenda, the one that it has hired Crosby/Textor to hide from the public, is to privatise public services. Rail, accident compensation, health, energy—where will it stop?
When did the Minister first receive a draft copy of a central district health boards’ plan that listed the number of services that would be cut from regional hospitals in that region; and what other secret plans is Labour working on to axe hospital services in other parts of the country, while the public is being kept in the dark?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I can confirm to the member that I cannot afford to hire Crosby/Textor, so I do not know what tactics that firm suggests—and I do not use them. If the member thinks the district health boards are all cronies of the Labour Party, he should have visited the previous Hawke’s Bay board.
Can the Minister confirm that the report says that, across the six lower North Island district health boards, 35 clinical departments face staffing shortages, maternity services are in crisis, most boards are deeply in debt, and costs are spiralling out of control; and that Labour’s only answer, after 9 years in Government, is a secret plan to axe health services in the lower North Island, as was revealed today on the front page of the Dominion Post?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Repeated assertions of the fantasies of the member do not make them facts. There is no secret plan. The district health boards are consulting on some internal workings, and they have not yet gone through the Cabinet process.
Why has Labour ignored the repeated warnings about the crisis in maternity services in Wellington and around the rest of the country, and how many more tragedies will there be before the Government realises that what is needed is action, not another report?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
It is somewhat ironic to hear the member opposite describe the Government’s actions as too little, too late, when it took him the best part of 24 hours to put out a rather stupid rehash of a press release on the matter.
Does the Minister not realise that in the last 9 years there have been endless reviews of maternity services, and that setting up another review will do nothing to reassure the mothers of New Zealand that they and their babies will be safe?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
On the substantive point, which was not part of the member’s primary question, I am happy to repeat to the House that the purpose of the review that I have set up is to investigate whether the interface between district health board - provided in-hospital maternity services and those provided outside district health board hospitals by non - district health board lead maternity carers is an issue that requires action. The purpose of the review is to ascertain whether we need to take further steps to ensure public safety and confidence. I would have thought the member would join with Labour members in thinking that that was an appropriate thing to do.