8. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
What reports has he received of improvements to front-line emergency ambulance services?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Members may recall that the Government invested an extra $48 million over 4 years for ambulance services, including 100 extra paramedics. I am pleased to advise today that almost half of those 100 paramedics have started work, and the rest are on track to be recruited in this quarter. This is already making a significant impact on ambulance services, especially on the ability to have double-crewing for call-outs in some areas. For example, with the additional paramedics, Wairarapa District Health Board is now able to operate the Greytown station 24/7, and staff are able to take well-earned leave.
Dr Paul Hutchison Link to this
What other improvements to front-line ambulance services can the Minister report?
Yesterday my colleague Nathan Guy and I attended a celebration of care closer to home in Kapiti. On the Kapiti coast, Wellington Free Ambulance has halved the number of hospital admissions on its call-outs. Its paramedics assess patients at home first, and treat them on the spot if that is appropriate. Wellington Free Ambulance, through its 24/7, treat-at-home, urgent community care pilot, funded by this Government, has seen 1,161 Kapiti patients, and admitted only 399 of them to hospital. That is a drop from 75 percent hospital admissions to just 34 percent. Over half of those patients are over 75 years old.
Hon Ruth DysonHow many more elderly will need an ambulance, following his decision to strip more than 3,000 people in Southland and Otago of their home help?
I have been assured by the district health boards that no one will be left unsafe in their homes, but I have also been advised by the Otago District Health Board and the Southland District Health Board that during the time of the previous Government in the last 3 years, hundreds of people in that area actually had their home care stopped. There will be more information on this matter in question time later this week.
How many more people in Palmerston North and Horowhenua will need an ambulance, following his decision to allow the 24-hour-a-day district nursing services to be scrapped?
The changes that are being considered at MidCentral District Health Board have nothing to do with the level of funding that the Government has given them. The Government has, in fact, increased funding for MidCentral District Health Board by $26 million in the last year, and there will be more money next year. I assure the member that care will be available for those people in Palmerston North.