11. BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Has he been informed that more than 200 people per day travel from Kapiti District to Wellington Hospital for treatment, passing Kenepuru Hospital on the way, and will he instruct the new chief executive of Capital and Coast District Health Board to undertake immediate long-term consideration of how to meet Kapiti coast and Porirua districts’ health needs?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Health) Link to this
Wellington Hospital provides specialist tertiary and secondary services for the Capital and Coast District Health Board catchment area and tertiary services for nearly a million people in central New Zealand. It has scarce clinical expertise, and sophisticated diagnostic and other clinical equipment that cannot be duplicated across every community facility. That means inevitably that some people will have to travel to receive services, and that is why it assists its constituents by providing free transport services to its Wellington facilities.
Is the Minister aware that the Kapiti area is one of the fastest growing in New Zealand and a major retirement district, and does health planning include making retired people drive long distances for hospital health care?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Today’s bench mate constantly reminds me of the attractiveness of the area, so I am aware of the issue. I am advised that to meet increased demand the district health board has increased the number of out-patient services provided in the Kapiti Health Centre from 6,000 to 8,000 a year over the past 2 years. The district health board also aims to provide as many out-patient services as possible close to where people live in the Kapiti and Kenepuru areas, as well as providing free bus services from Kenepuru to Wellington Hospital.
Does the Minister feel that the Government has an obligation to ensure that people who have paid taxes all of their lives are not marginalised in their retirement because health facilities are reduced and centralised?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Yes, the member makes a good point. The Government takes seriously its obligations to maintain service provision and ensures district health boards meet this obligation by agreeing to maintain services through their district annual plans. These are formal accountability documents between district health boards and the Minister. The district health boards are facilitated to provide those services, in the face of cost and population pressures, through the annual funding adjustments.