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 Government left the current Government with $160 million of unfunded health services and stripped $150 million out of the health budget pre-election, yes.
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
How come the Minister thinks that small primary health organisations like the one in Ōtaki cannot deliver better, sooner, more convenient health care, when it has managed to get main services for local people under one roof; enrolled almost the entire population, including 100 percent of Māori residents; and won awards for its innovative services; and has managed to do all that for meeting fees of $1,300 per year—not the $1,800 per meeting that he has been claiming small primary health organisations get, just in order to undermine them?
If members read the question, they will find out that it is. This Government is very keen to achieve the full vision of the Primary Health Care Strategy. As the Hon Pete Hodgson said in 2006, other than cheaper doctors’ visits and the formation of 82 primary health organisations, very little was achieved by the previous Government with the Primary Health Care Strategy.
Michael Woodhouse Link to this
What recent reports has the Minister had in relation to progressing his goal of more convenient health care?
I have received a number of reports on people’s views on progressing sooner, more convenient health care. In fact, one of the reports that focus on better health care is the release of the Surgical Safety Checklist at Parliament this morning. I am advised that last year 19 New Zealand patients were either operated on on the wrong side, or got the wrong operation. That is unacceptable. So this morning I joined clinicians in New Zealand to launch the Surgical Safety Checklist, developed by the World Health Organization, and including New Zealand clinicians. It is a set of questions surgical teams ask before and after an operation, much like a pre-flight aeroplane check, and it is already saving lives.
Jacinda ArdernIf the Minister believes in better, sooner, more convenient health care, why is he allowing youth health centres like 198 Youth Health Centre in Christchurch, which sees 3,700 young people per year, to face closure due to a lack of funding?
We have been in touch with the Canterbury District Health Board about that issue. It advised us that it has been funding those young people involved twice. The youth centre will no longer receive a lump sum of funding per annum; it will now operate, I am advised, as a normal primary health organisation with a capitation basis. The funding change is expected to free up resources for the front line.
Moana MackeyHow will Tairāwhiti District Health Board’s cutting of eight services, including transport assistance for rural patients, result in better, sooner, and more convenient health care for the people of Tai Rāwhiti?
Those facts would have to be checked, because in the House on Tuesday that member’s colleague got up and said that when one compares December with May, one sees that 12 percent of people were waiting longer for a first specialist assessment. If the member had compared it with June, she would have found that people were waiting for less time.
Su’a William SioHow will nurses and doctors find time to do the photocopying, answer the phone, and file papers when the staff doing that work at Middlemore Hospital, one of the busiest hospitals in the country, lose their jobs?
It is quite clear that the Government is determined that we should have less administrative overhead in the New Zealand public health system. Under the previous Labour Government, the number of managers and administrators in the public health system grew from 8,000 to 10,500. This Government would rather move the resources to support doctors and nurses on the front line, and improve services for patients.
What is more convenient for the people of Timaru who have been told that all their general practitioners have closed their books to new patients, at the same time as Timaru Hospital has cut 5,000 visits per year to its accident and emergency department?
It is my understanding that South Canterbury general practitioners closed their books to new patients under the previous Government. We have inherited a situation whereby in many ways there are no more general practitioners practising in New Zealand today than there were in 2000. It is quite clear that Timaru Hospital cannot turn away 5,000 patients. The hospital wants to work more constructively with primary care, so that many of those people can receive care better, sooner, and more convenient, closer to home.
For the Minister’s benefit, I seek leave to table an article from the Gisborne Herald outlining the services that are to be cut.
Mr SPEAKER