13 April 2006
Waiting list continue to be a problem unrecognised by government
Grey Power National President, Mr Graham Stairmand today stated, “We agree about the problems in Hawkes Bay regarding
the current waiting list. Many of our members, having achieved the necessary standard of deterioration of health, have
been placed on a waiting list only to be culled off under the instructions of the Ministry of Health who are concerned
not with the welfare of the elderly, but with enforcing failed government policies.”
“Thousands of people are now on the phantom waiting list shuffling backwards and forwards between appointments with GPs
and Specialists until the deterioration has increased to once again go in the list.”
“The waiting lists are a mockery and will never be solved until there are dedicated facilities in the public system to
do elective surgery and much greater use of publicly funded elective surgery in private facilities. The blame certainly
does not rest with the Specialists, but with the edict that requires the waiting lists to be reduced to make the figures
look good. This, with little regard for the health and welfare of the elderly patient whose quality of life continues to
be eroded just to satisfy the politicians.”
ENDS