MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
MONDAY 30 JUNE 2003
“Senior Doctors Welcome New Hospital Safety Book”
“Senior doctors welcome the publication of the new hospital safety book, Snakes and Ladders, by Dr Peter Roberts,” said
Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Dr Roberts’ book is to be
launched by Associate Health Minister and Accident Compensation Minister Ruth Dyson on Tuesday evening, 2 July in
Wellington (Rutherford House). Dr Roberts was until recently the National President of the Association of Salaried
Medical Specialists.
“Dr Roberts argues strongly that the best way to ensure safety for patients is to provide a working environment that
encourages human performance of health professionals rather than a punitive or blame mentality. Senior doctors welcome
this assessment especially as it is consistent with their own experiences.”
“The approach advocated by Dr Roberts would be a wise long-term investment in our public hospitals. This is contrary to
the short-term and short-sighted discouraging approach that exists in many district health boards in varying degrees.”
“We hope that the government, other politicians, health bureaucrats and district health boards will study the
ground-breaking work of Dr Roberts and develop working environments that encourage human performance and professionalism
that are cemented in the engine room of New Zealand’s public hospitals,” concluded Mr Powell.
Ian Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR