3. Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Does he still stand by his policy to deliver better, sooner, and more convenient health care?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Despite the fact that the previous Labour Government left the new Government with $160 million of unfunded services to fill, and stripped $150 million out of the health budget pre-election, yes.
If the Minister is happy to take the credit for the increase in elective surgery over the last 12 months, will he now be prepared to take the blame for the 12 percent increase in people waiting longer than 6 months for their first specialist assessment, which is a 12 percent increase since he became the Minister?
I am not in a position to confirm or otherwise what the member has said in her question. I observe that often the member does not have the right story, but I can tell her that we are certainly working hard to improve access to first specialist assessments and elective surgery.
If the Minister is happy to take the credit for the increase in elective surgery over the last 12 months, will he now be prepared to take the blame for the 15 percent increase in the number of people who were promised treatment but did not receive it within 6 months, a 15 percent increase since he became the Minister?
We would have to check those numbers from the member, but I can tell her that I am not interested in culling 30,000 patients off the waiting list, as the previous Government did. I can tell the member that what matters to those people on the waiting list is that they have more chance of getting an operation. I can tell the House that there have been more people getting elective surgeries in the last 6 months than at any other time in history.
Dr Paul Hutchison Link to this
What reports has he seen related to the delivery of better elective services?
I have seen reports to indicate that, based on preliminary information, around an extra 12,000 patients had elective operations in the last financial year, and a part of this successful year was under the previous Government of the party opposite. Amongst the biggest increases were in the Bay of Plenty at 14 percent, in Tai Rāwhiti at around 21 percent, and in Whanganui with a 23 percent increase. In brief, the Government had a goal of increasing elective surgery discharges by an average of 4,000 a year, from 118,000 to a total of around 130,000 over our 3 years, and this was achieved by the end of June.
If the Minister is happy to take the credit for the increase in elective surgery over the last 12 months, will he now be prepared to take the blame for the 20 percent increase in people who should have received treatment and who have not received treatment, a 20 percent increase since he became Minister?
Those figures would have to be checked, but I can say that it is difficult making comparisons in some of these areas because it was the previous Labour Government that culled 30,000 people off those waiting lists. What really matters for patients is that they have more opportunity to get operations, and they certainly have that under the National Government.
Dr Paul Hutchison Link to this
What reports has he seen in relation to the increase in elective surgery, particularly relating to the complexity of those operations?
I have seen a range of reports, but one in particular where the member opposite suggests the increase was achieved by doing “lots of minor surgery, rather than to improve case-weighted numbers, which give a true picture”. I am advised that case-weighted delivery has increased significantly. The average case weight is higher than the average of the 7 years since district health boards began. This increase, particularly in the second half of the year, reflects the Government’s very clear expectation of district health boards to provide more elective surgery for more patients to help improve patients’ lives.
I seek leave to table a number of documents. The first is to table the correct figures, given the Minister’s incorrect answer last week—
Mr SPEAKERThe member must not use that kind of language in seeking leave to table a document. All we want is a description of the document.
I am unaware of any document entitled “The Correct Figures” unless it is one that has been made up. The document, if it is a genuine document, must come from somewhere, and what we want to hear is a description of where the document has come from so that the House can make up its mind.
These are documents in answer to a written question last year and this year, showing that the increase in elective surgery procedures is double that—
The member cannot use the seeking of leave to table a document to make a point about figures. I take it the member is seeking leave to table the answer to a written question?
The member should have made that clear from the outset, because the House can then make up its mind about whether it wants to give leave to the tabling of answers to written questions. If we could get the date of the answer to the written question and the subject of the question, then the House can probably make up its mind, but I do not want any further wasting of time.
Written question No. 4481 (2008) and written question (2009), both relating to discharge procedures.
Leave is sought to table those two answers to written questions. Is there any objection? There is objection.
I seek leave to table a document printed from the Ministry of Health’s website showing there has been a 12 percent increase in the number of people waiting longer than 6 months for their first specialist assessment.
I seek leave to table information from the Ministry of Health’s website showing that the number of people who were promised treatment, but did not receive it within 6 months, has increased by 15 percent.
I seek leave to table information from the Ministry of Health’s website showing there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of people who should have received treatment and who have not, since Tony Ryall became Minister.
I seek leave to table the minutes from the Otago District Health Board showing that in May the district health board was running 4 percent below its plan for the month for case-weighted discharges of elective surgery.
I seek leave to table a document from the Otago District Health Board showing that in the following month the board was running 5 percent below its plan for the month for case-weighted activity.
I seek leave to table the minutes of the Northland District Health Board where the health board states: “The Minister of Health is focusing on patients’ numbers rather than case weights.”