9. Dr JACKIE BLUE (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
What reports has he received in relation to the delivery of surgical first specialist assessments, and what do the reports show?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
I have received a report from the Ministry of Health that details the failure of the previous Government to maintain real access to elective surgery. The report specifically advises on the delivery of surgical first specialist assessments from 2000 to 2007-08. Over that period, the population of New Zealand rose by 9.6 percent; the number of New Zealanders getting a surgical first specialist assessment rose by 0.7 percent, or 0.1 percent a year.
Surgical first specialist assessments are important predominantly because they are the gateway to an elective operation. Sadly, despite doubling the health budget, capacity in the public health system has not kept up with population growth—let alone ageing. Many of the thousands of New Zealanders for whom there has not been capacity were placed in the care of their general practitioner. For others, their specialist appointment may result in an alternative course of treatment, appropriate care, or peace of mind.
What would the number of surgical first specialist assessments need to have risen by in order to match population growth?
The number of surgical first specialist assessments in 2001 was 251,000. With a population growth of 9.6 percent to 2008, it is reasonable to estimate that there should have been an increase of over 24,000 such appointments to even try to keep up with population growth. In actual fact, the growth was only 0.1 percent a year, despite doubling the public health budget.
Iain Lees-Galloway Link to this
Why did the Minister fail to take the action required to remove tobacco displays from convenience stores, when any steps to reduce the uptake of smoking would reduce cancer rates and free up resources for surgical first specialist assessments?
The Government made it clear, in quoting from the report of the Health Committee—unanimously agreed on by all members—that there is no international evidence that shows a clear link between banning tobacco displays and reducing smoking rates. On the issue of surgical first specialist assessments, I suspect that a lot more could have been achieved if the previous Government had not cut the budget for health just before the last election. Labour cut $50 million out of the health budget for next year, and $100 million out of the health budget for 2010-11.