MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
MONDAY 30 JUNE 2003
“Not Just Hospital Closure Threat Georgina; Services Also”
“Government and Wairarapa MP Georgina Beyer should not just be concerned about a possible threat to close Masterton
Hospital. She should also concerned be about maintaining patient services in Wairarapa,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive
Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell was responding to Ms Beyer’s statement
that she would resign from Parliament if Masterton Hospital was closed.
“Public hospitals are sites and facilities in which a range of patient services are provided such as surgical, medical,
children’s, women’s and psychiatric. Removal or reduction of these services risk seriously harming standards of care,
access to care and the future of Masterton Hospital.”
“What makes the potential removal or reduction of patient services even more dangerous is when they are being reviewed
by outside consultants with no or limited expertise and with light bulbs exploding in their heads. The most effective
review of services at Masterton Hospital would be one led by senior doctors, nurses and other health professionals
working there.”
“Georgina Beyer might recall the famous British comedy ‘Yes Minister’ about a hospital that remained open with lots of
administrators but no patients,” concluded Mr Powell.
Ian Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR