5. Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Can he guarantee the provision of child cancer services in Wellington?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Shortly the National Health Board will release a national child cancer plan, which will incorporate a shared-care agreement for child cancer services in Wellington, as agreed between the Canterbury District Health Board and the Capital and Coast District Health Board. In relation to patients in the Wellington region, I am advised that it is expected that they will receive between 80 and 90 percent of their treatment in Wellington depending on their type of cancer.
Does he stand by his statement that the recommendation for three oncology centres, including Wellington, should be implemented, and that there is no reason to doubt the continued logic of that recommendation?
I think it would depend on the context of that statement, if that was in fact what I did say. The point is that the people of Wellington cannot carry on with an on-again off-again service. What is being proposed in the plan and in the shared-care arrangement with Canterbury will provide 80 to 90 percent of the care for kids with cancer in Wellington.
Has he renewed his call for the Health Committee to conduct an urgent inquiry into the provision of child cancer services in Wellington, as he screeched for in 2007?
I did more than a select committee inquiry; I have had a committee of some of the best officials in cancer services in New Zealand looking at the issue. That is why we have come up with both the shared-care plan between Christchurch and Wellington and the new national service plan. That is far more certainty and progress than the party opposite ever, ever, ever achieved.
Does he still maintain that it is “appalling” that our capital city is unable to offer the full range of cancer services for its children, as he said in 2007; if he is still appalled, what is he doing about it?
It is disappointing that the full range of services cannot be provided. But what is important is that we should have some real action to make sure that we have certainty of the services. That is why the shared-care plan has been put in place between Canterbury and Wellington. It is far more than we had previously. It means that 80 to 90 percent of the children with cancer in Wellington will get their treatment in the capital city. That provides a greater level of certainty for those people than there was previously for the last few years.
Katrina ShanksWhat does he say to the parents of children with cancer who have been told that capital child cancer care is in doubt again?
I can tell those parents that those reports are incorrect; the agreement reached between the Capital and Coast District Health Board and the Canterbury District Health Board, which was announced in September, has not changed. A national plan for child cancer services will be released, which includes the shared-care agreement between the Capital and Coast District Health Board and the Canterbury District Health Board. It is expected that 80 to 90 percent of cancer treatment for children in the Wellington region will happen in Wellington, depending on the cancer. We all know that this is an incredibly tough time for the parents and families, but I am confident that this plan gives certainty of services in the future, as close as possible to home.
Will he now show those parents some compassion and change his mind about refusing to meet with them, and front up and explain the situation directly to them?
I actually met those parents from the cancer group earlier on. I am very happy to meet with them now that the plan has been put in place.
Hon David CunliffeThe member says they asked me 3 years ago. Actually, I met those parents this year as we began this process. I think that many of them will realise that a very good arrangement has been put in place so that we do not have the on-again off-again service that we have seen for the last half decade here in Wellington.