12. LESLEY SOPER (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
What reports has he received on the success of primary health organisations?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Health) Link to this
I have received a report showing that under Labour, Kiwis are benefiting from cheaper doctors’ visits and cheaper prescriptions. July marks the sixth anniversary of primary health organisations in New Zealand, and over 4 million New Zealanders are benefiting. Nationwide, the average cost of seeing a general practitioner has dropped to just $26, and a million Kiwis pay no more than $15.50. This year’s Budget extended $3 prescriptions to hospitals, which means that even more people will benefit.
What evidence does the Minister have that the creation of primary health organisations is leading to better coordination at a local level?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
In many parts of the country primary health organisations are leading to greater cooperation and more co-location of services—for example, the Horowhenua Health Centre, which I visited yesterday with my colleague Darren Hughes, and whose first birthday is today. That community is benefiting from having general practitioners, radiology, elderly care, and day surgery all co-located in the same place. That would go out the window if a National Government ever got the chance to reintroduce its disastrous free-market model in the health system. Alternatively, National could just admit defeat and embrace our policy, as Tony Ryall did in Rotorua recently, when he said National would promote one-stop family health centres, which is just what we are doing.