Labs, Workforce: Govt Must Listen to Professionals

Attention: Health Reporter

Media Statement for Immediate Release,
Monday 9 October 2006

“Government Must Listen to Professional Advice Over Laboratories; Workforce Crisis Risk”

“The government must listen to the expert advice of the College of Pathologists over the future of laboratories in New Zealand,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell was commenting on the College’s meeting with the Heath Minister today.

“The increasing trend towards privatisation of our public hospital laboratories is destabilising New Zealand’s pathology workforce. Pathologists are losing confidence in the direction of our public health system while increasingly younger trainee pathologists are no longer seeing New Zealand as a professionally attractive place to work.”

“The emerging trend is placing core public hospital services under private management in which the overriding objective is make a profit out of a public service. The government is turning a blind eye and approving privatisation by stealth with a wink and a nod.”

“The government needs to reassert its former belief in publicly provided core health services and instruct district health boards to halt this privatisation trend,” concluded Mr Powell.

Ian Powell

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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