8. Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Does he stand by all his statements about health services?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes, including the statement that Labour had culled 30,000 people from hospital waiting lists.
How do his statements relate to the concerns expressed by Kathy James, clinical adviser, Health Care Aotearoa, who says that “Vulnerable patients will get sicker and more will go to hospital under proposed funding cuts for family-doctor groups,”?
The Government has been quite clear: we want to support front-line services in general practice, and we will be moving resources in order to increase the subsidies for general practitioner visits.
How can he justify spending $6 million preparing business cases for integrated family health centres—his flagship policy—when the primary-care network covering most of Auckland has just ditched those centres in its proposal?
The Government inherited a situation where the previous Government had made very little progress in implementing the primary health care strategy. So this Government is seeking to do that; it will provide better, more convenient services for New Zealanders.
Nicky WagnerFront-line services are improving in many parts of the public health service. They are particularly helped by the 1,100 extra nursing personnel in the public health service.
How does he explain to the people of Palmerston North, Feilding, and Levin that, despite Nathan Guy’s advocacy, their 24-hour district nursing service is under threat, the diabetes lifestyle centre is under threat, sexual health services are under threat, and the STAR 3 rehabilitation centre for people under 65 is due for the chop, as well?
Despite the Government increasing MidCentral District Health Board’s budget by $26 million this year, the Government has inherited significant challenges with that district health board. There are a number of options on the table, and decisions are still to be had, but I am determined that the people of that area should have certainty about their services, and that the district health board should not career into financial crisis.