6. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
What reports has he received on improved access to medicines?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Pharmac has released its annual review for 2009-10—
It is quite smart, actually. Pharmac has released its annual review for 2009-10, which shows that spending on subsidised medicines has risen from $653 million to $694 million. That is an increase of over $40 million on the previous year. This increase has allowed 20 new medicines to be funded, and access has been widened for 25 others. It is the largest number of investments in medicines since 1999. This means that not only are more people being treated, but also we have prevented many illnesses from getting worse.
Dr Paul Hutchison Link to this
How many people have benefited from more access to existing and new medicines?
The total $60 million boost to medicines since the change of Government has meant that a quarter of a million more Kiwis are now receiving subsidised medicines that they could not have got 2 years ago. In total, 3.2 million New Zealanders received subsidised medicines in the 2009-10 year—the highest number ever. This is yet another example of increased spending in health by the National-led Government delivering more front-line services for New Zealand patients.
Hon Ruth DysonDoes he consider that access to one’s husband, wife, family, or friends is also important to overall health outcomes; if so, why did he do nothing to stop the closure of the Taihape hospital, which caused all the residents to have to move, some up to 2 hours away from their family?
Mr SPEAKERI invite the Minister to answer the question in so far as it relates to the primary question, if he has the information. The primary question asked about what reports he had received on improved access to medicines. The supplementary question did not ask anything about that, at all.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My question asked whether he considered that access to family members was also important to health outcomes—that is, in addition to the improved access to medicines that the Minister referred to in answering the primary question.
I can say that the people of Taihape are receiving a significant number of community services, and it was a very unfortunate situation when the company that was running the services put itself into liquidation. But we moved swiftly to ensure that we could maintain and improve the other services that could be provided there. The good news for the people of Taihape is that many of them are benefiting from the extra $60 million that this Government has put into medicines to improve front-line services for New Zealand patients.
What help will access to medicines be to the Campbell family, who have moved their 96-year-old father and 93-year-old mother into their own home—they are getting no financial support from the Government—solely so that their father and mother could stay in the district they love?
I am sure that if they were in touch with the Whanganui District Health Board we would be making sure that they got the entitlements they were allowed, which, I have to say, would probably do more for that family than that member’s repeated questions.
Does he stand by his statement of 19 March last year that access to cancer treatment must be delivered quickly or district health board chairs will be sacked; if so, has he reviewed the position of Dr Virginia Hope, given that adults in the Capital and Coast District Health Board region are now facing waiting times for chemotherapy treatment of over 8 weeks?