3. GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
To what does he attribute the reported 300 percent increase in doctors leaving New Zealand for Australia since 2010?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
I attribute those reported comments to a single medical recruitment company that is in the business of attracting clients. The flow of doctors in and out of New Zealand is a longstanding challenge, for a number of reasons, and is ongoing in some specialties in particular. The latest comprehensive data has confirmed that since November 2008 we have over 500 extra doctors and over 1,000 extra nurses working in the New Zealand public health service.
What responsibility does he take as Minister for reports that the New Zealand medical workforce is “critically understaffed” as a result of doctors heading to Australia, and that as a result doctors in New Zealand have workloads that are “extremely unsafe”?
The latest comprehensive data, as I said earlier on, would indicate that since November 2008 we have over 500 extra doctors and over 1,000 extra nurses working in the New Zealand public health system. If we had an outflow of doctors of the level that that member may be suggesting, we would not have that level of increased front-line staff in our hospitals. Having said that, there are challenges remaining in a number of important specialties.
Has he received advice on the reports that doctors who are leaving to go to Australia for short periods are now moving there permanently; if so, what did that advice say?
I do not recall getting any specific advice suggesting what the member opposite has suggested. I do know that we have increased numbers of doctors and nurses working in the public health service. For example, in the last 2 years of the National Government, the number of doctors working at the Auckland public hospital has increased by 148, and the number of nurses by 242.
Does he recall the statement in 2008 from the then National spokesperson on health, a Mr Tony Ryall, that National’s policies would slow “the flood of health professionals to Australia”, and given the 300 percent increase in doctors going to Australia in the last year, how would he rate his progress?
First, I would strongly dispute basing a claim on the comments of a medical recruitment company that is seeking to attract clients. The fact is that if there had been a threefold increase in the number of doctors leaving New Zealand, we would not have increased the numbers of doctors working on the front line in our public hospitals by 500, nor would we have 1,000 extra nurses working in our public hospitals.
Does he consider he is adequately funding the health system to retain doctors in New Zealand, or would he agree with the words of former Prime Minister Mike Moore: “When Tony Ryall talks of health issues, am I the only person who hears the theme music from the ‘Jaws’ movie?”
I seek leave to table a column by former Prime Minister Mike Moore, dated 6 February 2008—this century.
Mr SPEAKER