4. GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Have hospital admissions for children with respiratory diseases and infectious diseases increased over the last three years; if so, by how much?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
As the member will be aware, there are a number of respiratory and infectious diseases that children can suffer from, including pneumococcal disease, whooping cough, measles, bronchiolitis, bronchiectasis, rheumatic fever, asthma, skin infections, and others. I am advised by the Ministry of Health that hospital admission data for the last year is not yet complete for most of these conditions. However, I have seen the Children’s Social Health Monitor: 2011 Update, which advises that in the 2007-10 calendar years there was an increase in admissions for certain medical conditions for children. At the same time there have been reductions in rates of others, such as invasive pneumococcal disease, but here in New Zealand there is more to be done in this important and challenging area.
Can he then confirm that the Children’s Social Health Monitor report says that 5,000 more children were admitted to hospital for avoidable medical conditions in 2010 compared with 2007?
It is not my report, but I certainly read those numbers in the report. I remind the member that a couple of those years were in part of his Government. I can also comment to the member that I have also seen the comments of Associate Professor Cindy Kiro, who says that the recent update indicates that although these admissions are still increasing, the rate of increase appears to be slowing, with possible early signs of improvement in some groups—potentially, Pacific children. Professor Kiro puts these improvements down to interrelated factors, two of which she identifies as, first, the Healthy Homes initiative, and, second, the much better intake of immunisation in the last couple of years.
Are the authors of the Children’s Social Health Monitor report correct when they say that children may be suffering “permanent health damage” because preventable illnesses are not being treated because parents are struggling with the cost of living, including the cost of getting medical treatment?
I certainly would agree that some children are suffering permanent damage if certain diseases are not remedied, and that is the reason why I was in Hawke’s Bay this morning, to launch the Government’s roll-out of the first of the rheumatic fever programmes, at the Irongate primary school. The rheumatic fever programme—$12 million over 4 years—is a substantial investment targeted specifically at a disease that causes irreparable damage to young children. This has actually been a national health goal since 2001, when it was set under the previous Government. But, as that member knows, although that Government set it as a goal, it never did anything about it.
Does he accept that his removing of the target for district health boards to reduce avoidable admissions to hospital may have contributed to the increase of 5,000 more children being admitted for avoidable medical conditions?
No, I would not agree with that, because in one of the key groups, children under the age of 5, the advice is that avoidable hospital admissions are in fact coming down. The target that the Government puts great store on is the increase in immunisation for 2-year-olds, where we have taken it from 73 percent of 2-year-olds being immunised to over 90 percent today. This morning I received an email from the Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation to advise that, now 98 percent of Māori 2-year-olds are fully immunised, and then a few hours later, I received a text from the Eastern Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation to advise that it has hit 94 percent across both Māori and Pākehā, the highest levels ever achieved in those communities.
Will the Minister reinstate a national health target for avoidable hospitalisations, in light of the fact that 5,000 more children were admitted to hospital for avoidable medical conditions in 2010?
The Government has a number of key preventive health measures that impact positively on children. The first is immunisation, where we now—
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. That was a very direct question. It asked whether the Minister would reinstate the target. That was the question that was asked. [ Interruption]
Mr SPEAKERA point of order has been called. To avoid uncertainty, I will invite the member to repeat his question, because I am still struggling to hear accurately today, and I apologise for that. The member may repeat his question.
Will he reinstate a national health target for avoidable hospitalisations, in light of the fact that 5,000 more children were admitted to hospital for avoidable medical conditions in 2010?
No, I will not make it a national health target, because the Government has a number of health targets already specifically targeted at good health promotion and prevention for children, the first of which is immunisation, where we have closed the gaps. Where that party opposite talked about doing a better deal for Māori and never achieved it in 9 years, we have closed the gap, and in many parts of New Zealand Māori kids have a higher immunisation rate. The second issue, of course, goes directly to respiratory disease, and it is the work we are doing to stop smoking, which has been internationally recognised.
Before I call the member, I say to the deputy leader of the Labour Party, who has been a little bit vociferous today in her interjecting, that she heard her colleague call a point of order, and kept interjecting across the House. [ Interruption] I am finding it very difficult to hear because of these cousins on each side of the front bench here, expressing cousinly affection for each other. If they could desist, it would assist me hugely.