6. GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Does he agree with the statement of the Auditor-General, “Despite the encouraging improvements made in the last 10 years, we do not yet have a system for scheduled services that can demonstrate national consistency and equitable treatment for all”?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes. As the Auditor-General says, we are making progress and there is still more to do with this complex and longstanding issue of nationally consistent clinical prioritisation.
Will the Minister now correct the statement he made in February to the New Zealand Herald that only 2 to 3 percent of patients are treated after 6 months, when the Auditor-General’s report shows that the figure is in fact 10 percent?
I do not recall that comment, but I can say that, certainly, what the Auditor-General’s report shows is that consistently about 10 percent of the patients in its sample over some years were treated after 6 months.
Mr SPEAKERI was not shaking my head because of anything—the member interjected why have you said something, and the Speaker had not said any such thing.
Oh, I am sorry. Does the Minister of Health recall saying to the New Zealand Herald on 17 February 2011 that only 2 to 3 percent of patients are treated after 6 months, and why will he now not correct that statement?
I do not recall saying that, but what I may have been referring to—if that was in fact the case—was the fact that the elective services patient flow indicators show that the number of people who are on the waiting list after 6 months is more in that vicinity. That is not the number of people treated after 6 months, which is indicated in the Auditor-General’s report.
Did Ministry of Health officials request the removal of any paragraphs or specific language from the version of the report that he acknowledged in this House they had in February?
I cannot answer that question, because I have not seen the draft report. But I know there was quite some discussion between the ministry and the Auditor-General, I think, around some of the numbers that were used.
Why, then, did the Minister say in the House on 17 February in reference to the February version of the report “I have the report.”?
I seek leave to table the February version of the Auditor-General’s report Progress in delivering publicly funded scheduled services to patients.